For the First Time
by Junebug617
Summary: A compilation of one-shots that examine a series of Lily Evan's and James Potter's interactions from their First Year at Hogwarts until beyond their Seventh Year. Each chapter is centered around a different "first" in their lives, such as their first kiss, first meeting, and first date.
1. Lily Kissed James

**THIS STORY IS NOT TRULY COMPLETE AS EACH CHAPTER CAN STAND ALONE. REPEAT: STORY NOT COMPLETE.**

**UPDATES WILL STILL OCCUR.**

**THIS IS A COLLECTION OF ONE-SHOTS REVOLVING AROUND FIRSTS BETWEEN LILY AND JAMES. I'M TRYING TO STAY AWAY FROM THE BIG ONES AND INSTEAD FOCUS ON THE FIRST TIME THINGS LIKE KISSES OR DATES HAPPENED BETWEEN THEM. THE TIME LINE WILL SKIP AROUND A BIT BUT IT SHOULDN'T MATTER CONSIDERING THIS IS JUST ONE-SHOTS. THESE WILL NOT BE SHORT LITTLE SNIPPETS BUT FULL-LENGTH STORIES WITHIN EACH "FIRST". ENJOY AND LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. These characters are the sole production of J.K. Rowling and I take no credit in their creation.**

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><p>"<em>I'm quite good with healing scars," she said after a pause, not even knowing where that came from. "I could try and…. you know, heal some of the ones on your back…just if you want."<em>

_For the first time that night, James's face held a bit more of his usual look around it. "Are you trying to get me to take my shirt off, Evans?" he asked with a __smirk._

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><p><strong>THE FIRST TIME…. Lily kissed James.<strong>

Lily Evans was not the type who woke up easily. She was the type that had the Russian Circus called in as her alarm because the normal beeping from her muggle clock meant absolutely nothing to her. She was the type that needed more than a push or a shove to get out of bed. She needed a whole bulldozer. That's why when she woke up in the middle of the night her second day back Sixth Year, it took her a second to understand what was going on.

Blearily adjusting to the darkness around her, Lily wondered what could've possibly woken her. All that was permeating the utter silence in her dorm was Alice's soft snores across the room and Marlene's louder than normal breathing due to the cold she developed in Potions this afternoon. There was no reason she should be awake. With a small groan of frustration, Lily flopped back onto her pillow and squeezed her eyes shut, hoping to catch the last remnants of sleep.

This plan did not work well and she tossed and turned until Emmeline's voice drifted softly from her left, "Lily, dearest, you're moving too much. You're going to wake the whole room."

"Sorry." Lily cringed and went still.

"S'fine," Emmeline whispered back groggily, drifting peacefully back into sleep.

Staying still was even more painful and finally, with a deep breath of disappointment, Lily heaved herself off her bed and grabbing her Transfiguration textbook, headed for the Common Room. Might as well use her time wisely, Lily thought while yawning deeply. She shut the door softly and then treaded down the spiraling stairs, thinking maybe she could study a little and then try for sleep again.

Absorbed in her own thoughts, she missed the voices coming from the couch until she nearly stepped out of the staircase. Jumping back up a few steps, Lily realized that she was not the only one awake at, checking her watch, 3:30 in the morning. The two voices were male and one seemed angry while the other just seemed weary. Come on, I know those voices, Lily told herself, still trying to rub sleep out of her eyes.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" the angry voice demanded.

"You didn't ask, so I didn't tell," the weary one responded. Lily thought she heard a sigh. "It wasn't like I could just walk up to you and break the news that…that…"

"That your life was a living hell." The angry voice quieted. Lily knew that voice.

"Potter," she muttered to herself, creeping to the edge of the staircase and peeping into the Common Room. What was he doing here at this hour?

James's face was obscured by the shadows that leaped from the fire over the carpet and encased his pajama-clad body. Lily only knew it was him because his glasses glinted brightly in the crackling firelight. Sirius' head of dark hair was much more visible over the back of the couch which he sat on and Lily shook her head in disapproval. What were these two planning this time? They had only been back a few days for Merlin's sake.

The silence between the two continued and Lily crept forward a bit more into the light, realizing that Potter was much too absorbed in his best friend to see a glint of red hair on the staircase. His arms were crossed and she realized he didn't look angry, he looked in pain. Sirius had his back to her, head in his hands as he stared into the fire.

"How long has this been going on?" James asked quietly and Lily strained to hear over the crackling of the fire.

"Ever since I was sorted into Gryffindor," Sirius's husky response came.

"That was nearly five years ago," James observed, his tone unreadable. "They've been that cruel to you for five whole years and you never said anything?"

"What'd you want me to do James?" Sirius's voice burst forth. "March up to Dumbledore and ask him to sort me into Slytherin? Or maybe find me a new family to live with?"

"You could've told me!" James sounded angry again. "I could've helped you. We could've done something about it!"

"Oh don't even start with me," Sirius scoffed. "You got me in just as much trouble. Befriending a blood traitor? Got the belt for that one. Bringing you into the mix would've only been worse for the both of us."

Lily narrowed her eyes. This conversation was obviously very private and though she'd like to pretend that she had no idea what the two Marauders were talking about, she knew that she could draw her own horrifying conclusions. She should leave. Stepping up backwards, her ankle cracked. James and Sirius both whipped around, gazes fixed towards the staircase.

Lily cursed silently in her head. The moment of hush that ensued was painful as Lily pressed against the stone wall, holding her breath and hoping beyond hope that they'd just pass it off. "Its nothing. Probably just a mouse," James finally declared. Breathing a sigh of relief, Lily stayed frozen to her spot, realizing that she would have to stay until they were done or risk being caught eavesdropping.

There was a pause. James turned into the light and Lily could finally see him for the first time. His face was dark, the shadows that flickered at his chin making him look all the more sinister as he stood with crossed arms and furrowed brows. Deep worry lines that didn't often appear on the laughing Chaser's carefree face aged him considerably, so much so that Lily barely recognized the boy she had only just recently begun to call "friend."

James shook his head, placing his hands on his hips. "I can't believe we've been best mates for all this time and I never knew."

Sirius laughed darkly, giving Lily shivers up her spine and said, "Trust me, you didn't want to know."

"Not true," James said immediately. There was a lull between them before James said, "We could've bared it together. That's what best friends are supposed to do. They're supposed to be there for each other. We could've easily found a way to make Polyjuice Potion. We could have switched spots for a few days or something."

Sirius laughed again but this time, it was not quite as dark. "Thanks for the offer, James." Lily peered around the corner a bit more and saw James ruffle his hair distractedly. For the first time, the familiar gesture didn't bother her and she found herself watching him more closely than usual.

"Were they bad?" James asked, leaning against the wall and looking at Sirius.

He shrugged. "Some of them." A pause. "Depended on my parents mood, I guess. Speaking out of turn was one slap, stating my opinion earned a beating with the kitchen broom, and defending unpure blood was…hmm…. maybe a couple days without food and a broken nose." He stated them as a simple fact, considering each one with a tone of boredom.

The horror Lily felt inside was mirrored on James's face. Leaning forward, James gripped Sirius's shoulder tightly. "I'm going to hex them into tomorrow the next time I see your parents."

"Don't even bother," Sirius snorted, pushing James hand off lightly. "Its not like it hurts anymore, or is even unexpected. The biggest trouble I probably have is Regulus, who can't help but give into their constant questioning about what I'm doing at school. I sometimes forget things that would be unacceptable to them while I'm here. And that's what gets me into the most trouble."

"Like what?" James asked, the lines on his face managing to deepen further.

Sirius looked like he took a deep breath and considered. "Here's an example," he mused. "Remember last year coming home on the Hogwarts Express, Lily rode in our compartment for the last bit?" Lily stiffened in the shadows.

"Of course I do," James responded, like it was obvious.

"Well, remember when we got off? And she said goodbye and gave me a hug, partly for laughs?" Lily remembered, as did James, who nodded. "Well, that cost me big time. My mother couldn't stand the fact that a muggleborn even dared to touch her son let alone, show him affection." Lily felt sick.

James sucked in a sharp breath. "I never liked your parents, Padfoot, but I didn't think I would hate them."

Sirius snickered. "Well, join the club. You can see the scars of this summer if you like." Lily watched as he stood and pulled off his red pajama shirt, revealing a back pockmarked with small cuts and bruises, some of which still looked quite fresh.

"Sirius!" James exclaimed, horrified. "That's…. terrible."

Sirius shrugged. "I guess it's how I was raised. This one here was from not washing the floors when my mother asked. This big bruise was from July when I tripped cousin Bellatrix so she fell down the stairs. This one, oh that was just Mooney. The cut on this side was when I "accidentally" set fire to my mother's favorite Slytherin banner at the beginning of the summer..."

Sirius kept talking but Lily found herself no longer listening. She had sat down on the step and buried her head in her hands, willing herself not to cry. Sirius had always been one of those people that seemed like they had it all. He was funny, popular, charming, good looking, bloody brilliant, and had this constant aura of happiness about him. She would've never guessed that those bruises and cuts were only a layer of fabric away. Suddenly she regretted mocking him for the past five years with Severus. Suddenly… he seemed much more real to her. And she thought that her summer was bad.

Don't cry Lily, she ordered herself, not here, not now. Potter and Black are less than 15 feet away. You are _not _a crier. Your life could be so much worse! One move, hell one sound would alert them to her presence. It was just so horrid. The way he'd not told anyone. The way everyone seemed to have secrets…

"I'm still angry you didn't tell me, Padfoot," she heard James say quietly as she shook herself out of her musings. Looking out, Lily saw James gently healing some of his bruises in the places Sirius couldn't reach. In her heart, Lily suddenly felt this inexplicable burst of fondness for the boy with the glasses that she spent so many years trying to brush away.

"Well, that would've been an awkward conversation, Prongs," Sirius pointed out. "Did you understand question 27 in Potions? Oh, by the way mate, my parents tend to beat me within an inch of my life."

James just shook his head seriously and Lily found her gaze kept sliding off Sirius and towards him. He barely reminded her of the boy she knew as she saw the stricken look in his face as he examined every bruise. Potter looked just as shaken as she did, if not worse. And yet he tenderly continued to mutter the words that healed his best friend's wounds, handling them softly, so as not to hurt Sirius. Lily found herself shocked by the scene. This James didn't look like an arrogant toerag with a head the size of the Quidditch Pitch. He looked vulnerable and cautious and kind. Maybe this was the James that Remus kept trying to get her to see. Maybe this was the real James that Potter had just started showing her himself.

"I'm gonna kill them," James suddenly said quietly. "I hope you know that."

For the first time that night, Lily heard Sirius give a genuine laugh and it startled her on the staircase. "Don't bother," he told his best friend. "I ran away about a month ago."

Lily jumped as James stood abruptly. She thought James was going to hit him. "You're joking!" James exclaimed. He spluttered over his words. "What have you been doing for a month?"

"Mostly living in dog form, living off scraps and sleeping in alleyways," Sirius said, shrugging it off. "Its not as bad as you think, though the fleas are murder."

"And you never once thought to contact me?" James eyes were wide with hurt. "I could've helped you!"

"How?" Sirius responded harshly. "You keep saying that but you don't get it, James. There's nothing anyone could have done!"

"You could've stayed with me!" James told him indignantly. "My parents think you're the greatest thing to walk the earth since they gave birth to me."

"I couldn't have…" Sirius started but James only cut him off.

"That's it," James told Sirius with a stern expression. "You're moving in with me."

There was silence and Lily found herself beaming at the words James had just uttered. For the first time, there was this feeling in her heart when she looked at him. It was warm and fiery and made her tingle from the tips of her fingers to her toes. Sure, she had already been fighting off butterflies in her stomach and the blushing that ensued when she talked to him lately but this was something different. This washed over her, completely unstoppable.

"No," Sirius's answer suddenly broke through her thoughts.

"You think I'm joking," James said, just as serious. "But you're completely wrong. I don't care what my parents say. And if they so no…. well I guess you'll just have a companion in your homelessness."

"James," Sirius's voice was strangled.

"Sirius," James mimicked his best friend. "You don't have a choice. I'm not letting you do this alone. Plus, you know my mom will jump at the chance to have you anyways." James paused. "You wont ever have to be hurt by those monsters called your parents ever again."

"Thanks," said Sirius in a small voice, looking up at James. The two troublemakers were silent for a moment, both staring into the fire. "You know, sometimes I wonder how it happened. Ending up in Gryffindor, you know? I mean, I was made from those monsters… What if I still turn out to be just like them?"

"You wont," James said confidently. "Because now you have me for a brother. And brothers don't let each other become monsters. Promise."

Lily watched as Sirius stood and hugged James, coughing gruffly as if trying to hide some sort of welling of emotion. In the stairwell, Lily stood up too, getting ready to try and head back upstairs. For a second, she thought James had seen her as his gaze flickered over the girl's staircase, but then Sirius began to speak and he looked away.

"You promise this is still our secret?" Sirius asked uncertainly, not bearing any resemblance to the cocky, arrogant Beater she encountered on a daily basis. "Not even Remus and Peter can know."

"I promise." James smiled and Sirius slipped his shirt back on.

With a yawn, he stretched and said, "Prongs, it sure is good to be back for another year." He walked towards the boy's staircase and Lily shrunk back even further, drawing Potter and Black out of her line of vision. "Well, I'm heading up to bed. You coming?"

She heard Potter's response. "I'll be up in a moment. I just got to finish some stuff down here."

"Alright." She heard Sirius yawn again. "But really James. Thanks….for everything."

James's voice was softer. "No problem, mate."

With a sigh of relief, Lily heard Sirius start up the staircase. Then suddenly his voice drifted back. "Oi, Prongs, I forgot to ask. How's your dad been holding up?"

"Okay, I guess." She heard James respond casually, though the lines in his face remained just as tense. "He's been better."

"We'll talk tomorrow, okay?"

"Okay, Padfoot."

"Goodnight."

"'Night."

With that, Lily listened as Sirius treaded up the nearby stairwell and realized long after he had passed that she was still trembling. She would've never guessed in a million years that his summers were filled with shouting and beatings. The thought made her want to get sick, the lingering image of his back unable to leave her mind.

Suddenly, Potter appeared at the foot of the girl's staircase and Lily slammed herself against the wall, fearing he would see her. "You can come down now, Evans," his voice drifted calmly up.

Lily gulped in shock as his shadow moved away, still refusing to move. He must've seen her as he looked towards Sirius and the staircase. She had thought his eyes flicked over here. Maybe she could just creep back to bed and Potter would think that he was just imagining seeing her there.

But Lily found she couldn't just leave after hearing all that and taking a deep breath, squeezed her eyes shut for a moment and then walked softly down the stairs. As she stepped onto the soft carpet of the Common Room, she realized Potter had gone back over to the couch, where he now sat with his head in his hands, looking more tired than she'd ever seen him.

"How'd you know it was me?" she asked quietly, setting her Transfiguration book on a nearby armchair as she went to stand in front of him.

"It was your hair," he responded wearily. James rubbed his face with his hands and Lily saw that he had taken off his glasses and placed them on the end table. She had never seen Potter without his glasses. Somehow without them he seemed less arrogant and less confident. Instead, he just looked tired.

"I promise I didn't hear that much," she offered quietly, feeling awkward.

"What part did you come in at?" he asked.

"When Sirius said that the…er… that they started when he was sorted into Gryffindor," Lily admitted sheepishly. "When did you realize I was there?"

"Just when Sirius went to bed," he said. James looked up at her and for the first time, Lily truly saw his eyes without the glare of his jauntily placed glasses to cover them. It was the first time he had ever looked at her so...so...unguarded. As he gazed at her curiously, his hazel eyes became penetrating and Lily got the feeling that he could see right through her. She shifted uncomfortably.

"I'm really sorry," Lily offered to him. "I promise I wasn't snooping around. I just couldn't sleep and I didn't realize you two were down here."

James just shook his head. "Its fine," he told her. Then his face contorted in worry. "Just please don't tell Sirius. It would break his heart to know you had found out about his parents."

"I promise I won't breathe a word of it to anyone," Lily swore, sitting gingerly down on the couch next to James. His gaze went into the fire and he looked deep in thought. Lily couldn't help but watch him out of the corner of her eye. She had never seen him this way before. He had completely removed the mask she knew he wore. The one she often judged him on. Badboy, cocky, selfish. All words that right now had never seemed farther from the truth.

"I couldn't imagine sharing something that dreadful with anyone," she said softly, still staring at Potter and feeling that strange tingling sensation again. "I mean, his back…"

James smiled a bit. "Just teaches you that not everyone's what you think they are." He glanced up and Lily inferred that he meant himself. "Sirius might be conceited and arrogant at times but underneath… he's no different than the rest of us."

"I believe it," Lily found herself saying.

"And don't worry," James continued. "I'll take care of him. Not all of his back is from his parents, a lot of it is, in fact, from Remus during the full moon." Lily had found out the previous year about how they accompanied Lupin during his time of the month.

"Is your back like that too?" Lily asked, turning to look at James head on and sagging into the couch.

He gave a slight nod. "I have my share of scars." A small smile appeared on his face. "Rats are too small to be bait and dogs, even big ones, can move fast. But stags… while large, they can't maneuver in the Shrieking Shack quite as well as I had hoped. Its kind of an easy target."

"But Remus doesn't go after you a lot, right?" Lily asked horrified, not able to stop herself from looking at James' covered back.

"No, no," James said distractedly, looking at her surprised, as if he didn't think she'd care. "And of course, he doesn't do it consciously. But there's times when he's extra riled up and takes a swing, at me and Padfoot more than Peter."

"That's…terrible," Lily told him after a pause.

He shook his head. "Its worth it in the morning when Remus tells us how grateful he was for our company," he said. James smiled at her wearily and then turned back to the fire. For some reason unknown to Lily, she blushed and quickly cleared her throat.

"I'm quite good with healing scars," she said after a pause, feeling as if another person was speaking the words that followed. "I could try and…. you know, heal some of the ones on your back…just if you want."

For the first time that night, James's face held a bit more of his usual look around it. "Are you trying to get me to take my shirt off, Evans?" he asked with a smirk. Lily flushed again.

"No, no of course not," she said quickly, flustered. "I just thought what you were doing for Sirius was great and that I felt really bad for you when you said that you had some scars too and I was thinking that maybe I could try and heal them since you know, you were so nice to Sirius and you deserve something nice too…"

She trailed off into an embarrassed silence while James just looked at her, amused. Then with a soft smile and a sigh, James grabbed the bottom of his white shirt and pulled it over his head. "I don't know if normal spells can heal something like werewolf bites and scars but you might as well try," James said, turning his back towards her and staring out the window.

But Lily found she couldn't muster up a response for a multitude of reasons. One, she was blushing too furiously about Potter having his shirt off to think of a coherent answer. Two, Lily was awkwardly admitting to herself that Potter had a nice body, with just enough tone to look casually muscled. It made her blush again. Three, the blush slid away quickly when she actually looked at his back, too sickened for words. Though not as bad as Sirius's, she could have bet that no one would've guessed that James Potter was hiding lumps and scars as long as her wand right below his Quidditch uniform and Gryffindor robes.

"Is it bad?" his voice drifted softly to her. It was asked as a casual question but Lily heard the tension behind his words.

"Uh, no…" she lied, still transfixed, especially by the largest scar of all, one with three long lines trailing down his spine. It looked like a werewolf's claws. "You can barely tell."

James snorted. "You're a horrible liar, Evans," he said. "Did anyone ever tell you that?"

Lily managed a small smile and began to mutter the spells that she hoped would heal Potter's scars. She still couldn't think why she was helping him instead of heading back to her dorm, where she should be at this hour. He just seemed so…different…when he was down here with Sirius. James Potter wasn't being arrogant or idiotic or showing off. He was tired and solemn. She couldn't even figure out why that change bothered her.

"So," Lily said into the awkward silence, trying to stimulate some conversation. "What was Sirius talking about earlier? With your dad?"

She saw James stiffen and immediately cursed herself for treading upon what must be delicate territory. "Oh, its nothing," James answered her in a strained voice. "I think Sirius was just wondering, you know…"

"Yeah," Lily agreed, wincing at her stupidity. They fell back into silence. Lily was quickly finding that her healing charms worked…but at a decreased rate. What should have healed a scar was only making the ones on James's back barely fade. This was going to take longer than she had anticipated. Plus, the blushing every time she actually thought about what she was doing didn't help her much.

James wasn't necessarily assisting her either, as he kept shifting and moving so that Lily had to start her spells over and over again. Rolling her eyes, Lily distractedly placed her free hand on his bare back near the scar she was healing to steady him. She didn't even realize what she had done until she felt James stiffen and slightly tremble at her touch. Lily blushed, staring at her hand and wondering if she should move it. Or would that be too obvious?

"You know, my father hasn't been doing well lately," she offered quietly, trying partly to break the awkward silence and partly to distract Potter from the fact that she was touching him in an all too intimate place.

"Why not?" James's deep voice responded softly, still sounding a bit on edge.

"He got very ill last year," Lily told him, clearing her throat and speaking a bit louder. "I didn't even know until I came home in June and he wasn't there to greet me at the train station."

James was silent for a moment before saying, "I'm sorry."

Lily shrugged though she knew he couldn't see it. "I guess he took a bad fall down our stairs last November and nobody was home to help him. He had to sit there until my mum came back from her shift at the hospital. By that time, the injuries he had sustained didn't heal as well as they would've if he had gotten treatment immediately."

James didn't say anything. Lily kept healing his scars as best as she could, trying not to jostle the fingertips that rested on his back. She hoped he would forget they were there. "We've all been blaming each other since," Lily continued softly. "My mother blames Petunia for not coming home from her date with her boyfriend at the time she said she would. I blame my mother for taking an extra shift at the hospital that night and not thinking that it was strange when my dad didn't answer her calls. And of course…" Lily gave a deep sigh. "…Petunia blames me. Saying that if I had actually been home none of this would've happened in the first place."

Once again, James didn't say a word and Lily felt her heart sink. She had shared too much. Her point had been to distract him but now she had probably scared him away with her sudden burst of emotions. She knew the boy had had enough heartfelt confessions tonight already.

"I'm sorry," Lily said quickly, shaking her head. "I know I just thrust that on you. I didn't mean for it to happen. I guess its just been weighing on me… Partly thinking that Petunia was right. That if I hadn't been so caught up in life here that maybe my father would be just fine right now… That he wouldn't be in a wheelchair…"

Lily trailed off into silence and threw herself back into scar healing, blushing at her awful attempt at conversation. Suddenly James cleared his throat and shifted a little. "I know what you mean about illness," he said softly. "I found out around May last year that my dad was diagnosed with Alzheimer's."

"I'm so sorry," Lily told him after a pause. "I can't even imagine…"

"My mum had made it out to be much less severe than I imagined," James continued. "But I knew soon enough just how bad it had gotten when I hugged him after getting off the train and he asked me where I was all year."

James's voice was mild but Lily couldn't help but wince at his confession. "Of course, he remembered when I told him but it still hurt, you know? When you're a kid you think your dad's invincible. And now he cant even remember where you went."

"How's your mum holding up?" Lily asked.

"She's doing alright," James sighed. "I wanted to skip Hogwarts this year and stay with them both but she insisted that I needed to be here with my friends. She said I would do a lot more good here than I would there."

"Your mother seems like a very smart woman," Lily smiled.

"She is," James said in a voice that gave a hint of pride. "I guess I always knew that my parents were very old when they had me but it never really set in what that would mean until now."

Without thinking, Lily gently flattened her palm onto James's back, wanting her to know that she felt for him. He tensed instantly at the touch but then relaxed considerably, sinking deeper into her hand and causing Lily to blush. What was with her tonight?

"I think what you're doing for Sirius is the best thing I've ever heard," Lily told him softly.

"Its nothing," he responded. "He's my best mate. To do any less would be an insult to our friendship."

Lily smiled. "Sirius is very lucky to have you as a friend, then."

James stiffened again and Lily suddenly wondered what she'd done wrong. "Why are you being so nice to me?" he asked, his voice holding both an accusatory tone and a hint of pain.

Lily found she had no answer. "I don't know," she said, annoyed. "I just guess you were being nice to me."

"No, you definitely were nice to me first," James pointed out, drawing away from her and turning around. She immediately noticed how cold her hand was away from the warmth of his back.

"Well you were being nice to Sirius," Lily spluttered, willing herself not to blush under his intense gaze. "And I guess I thought… I don't know! That maybe you weren't just some arrogant toerag for once!"

James was very quiet for a moment though his gaze never left Lily. "I know it's surprising but I do have feelings, Evans," he said icily.

"James, I know, please don't be offended," she said, standing to match him as his gaze closed off and he crossed his arms. "I didn't mean it like that! I just meant that I was seeing you differently."

Potter's expression softened at the use of his first name. "You know, Lily," he said tersely. "I like it when you call me James. It makes me feel like you actually value me as a person and not just as another name."

"Same when you call me Lily," she responded with raised eyebrows. "The way you carry on, sometimes I even consider the idea that you forgot my name going from girl to girl."

"I would never forget your name!" James exclaimed. "How could I?" Lily blushed and James backtracked. "You know, because we've known each other for like five or six years now and we see each other all the time."

"And five years later, we still haven't progressed to a first name basis," Lily pointed out.

"I blame that on you," James said jokingly though his face was serious. "I asked you at the end of last year if we could be friends. I thought we would naturally sort of move on from that."

Lily scoffed. "Well you're the one that wants to call everyone by their last names because you think its cool."

"Do not," James replied seriously. "I only do that because I reserve first names for my closest friends."

Lily paused, looking at James long and hard. He didn't look like he was about to play a prank. There was no Sirius hiding in the corner waiting to jump out and scare the wits out of her. "Well then... Can we switch to first names?"

James smiled. "If you wish."

"I do," she said, adding as an afterthought, "James."

James leaned forward and smiled. "So do I, Lily."

The two just stared at each other for a moment before James finally rocked on his heels and said, "Well, its been a late night already and we have a long day ahead of us tomorrow so I think I'm going to get some sleep."

Lily nodded, pulling her gaze away from the eyes that still seemed too honest to belong to James Potter. "Yeah, you're right," she agreed, picking up her Transfiguration book. "Already I'm going to be exhausted."

He smiled slightly and nodded as he pulled his shirt back over his head. Lily breathed a sigh of relief.

"Well…" he said, ruffling his hair and giving her a long, hard look. "I guess this is goodnight."

"Yes, I-I guess it is," she said softly, returning his gaze and feeling that tingling inside her once more as his hazel eyes rested on hers.

_This was it. _He was going to ask her out. She just knew it. James always gave her that look before he did. A look of confidence and nerves and vulnerability somehow all bundled into one. As long as she could remember, no year at Hogwarts had passed without James trying at least once or twice to ask her for a date. Though in the beginning she had scoffed in his face and enjoyed the blush that rarely graced his cheeks, as they'd grown older the amusing incidents, though more infrequent, began to be greeted as a familiar banter. The continued question became a joke, not a offer. It seemed silly but Lily couldn't help but credit James Potter with a few incidences where that simple question and refusal had managed to restore a little confidence in her step. Now they were here... And he was looking at her as he hadnt since the beginning. With a look in his eyes that made Lily's heart clench. He opened his mouth. She held her breath.

"See you tomorrow."

He nodded and swept past her.

He hadn't asked her out. Lily's heart sank. A little voice in her head questioned why it did. This was James Potter. She should be glad they were finally moving towards a real friendship and away from the possibility of romance. She should be relieved that he was finally respecting the fact that her answer would always be no. But suddenly Lily found herself wondering if he had asked her two minutes ago if she would've refused.

Then suddenly she caught the firelight glinting off of two round circles. With a puzzled expression, she bent down and realized what it was. Picking up the glasses in her hand, she said, "James, wait!"

"Yes?" he asked, ruffling his hair as he turned around.

"You forgot your glasses," she said lamely, walking over to him. "They were sitting on the couch still."

He just looked at them and then at Lily. "Thanks," he said softly, his expression once again turning unreadable.

Lily just kept holding them out but Potter wasn't taking them. She just held them closer to him, as if he hadn't noticed that they were there. "Could you put them on?" he asked, his voice apathetic. "My hands are full."

Lily looked down. His hands were perfectly free. Looking back at him, he saw his expression wasn't gloating or smirking, but just stoic. Her heart jumped. With a small nod, Lily awkwardly lifted the familiar round glasses up to his face and gently hooked the sides around his eyes, her fingertips lightly brushing his ears. Standing on her tiptoes, Lily slid the glasses into place and felt her heart nearly jump out her chest when she realized how close he was.

They were very nearly nose-to-nose and his eyes stared at her piercingly, in a way she still marveled he was capable of. So it came even more as a shock when James wrapped his arms gently around her waist and pulled her even closer. Lily gasped, dropping her book, instinctively placing her arms against his chest and allowing herself to be pressed against him without protest.

"Thank you," he whispered seriously, his warm breath hitting her face as he looked at her deeply. "For listening and for keeping my, well both of our, secrets."

"You're welcome," she told him softly, gazing back at him and feeling her heart jumping around. She hoped he couldn't feel it. What about him had changed during the summer that allowed her to be willingly held in his arms? What about him suddenly had her dizzy in a single glance? Had he really changed that much? Or maybe...had she? "For listening to me…and letting me listen."

Potter held her there for a moment, just watching her and Lily found that for the first time ever, she didn't mind him being this close. In fact, she wanted him even closer. If he only just leaned in…

"Goodnight," he said abruptly, releasing her. "See you in the morning."

Lily watched his back as he disappeared up the boy's staircase. Something had erupted inside of her. He had opened a vault of suppressed emotion that had been inside her so long. He couldn't just leave her now, not when they had been so close. Without thinking, she dashed after him. He wasn't far ahead of her.

"James," she called after him, watching as he turned around on the staircase, surprised. Lily halted in front of him, breathing a bit heavier than usual because of her short sprint up the stairs.

"What?" he asked, obviously confused. Lily just stared at him, eyes wide. "Did I forget something el-?"

But he was cut off as Lily suddenly grabbed the sides of his face and pressed her lips to his. Potter just stood there, maybe in shock, maybe in disgust, Lily couldn't tell. He smelled of fresh air, grass and spiced cologne that her made her lightheaded as she drew back. James remained in the exact same position, eyes closed, not moving a muscle.

Lily felt her face flush as red as a tomato as she let her hands drop to her sides. "I'm sorry," she quickly said, backing up against the opposite wall. James stayed silent.

"Why did you do that?" James suddenly whispered after a prolonged pause. His eyes fluttered open as he gently touched his lips and looked at her with wonder.

"I don't know," she whispered back, biting her bottom lip, embarrassed.

James just kept staring at her. "Why did you apologize?" he asked quietly.

Lily felt herself blush even more, if that was possible. "I don't know," she whispered again. "I guess, you just stood there and I felt…. bad…"

"Don't feel bad," James told her, a small smile playing around his lips. "I was just…surprised, I guess."

"Well, I didn't mean… I'm sorry," Lily said again, distressed, wishing she hadn't followed him up the stairs. She could still feel the pressure from their kiss on her lips. What a stupid idea.

They were both silent for a moment and Lily was about to suggest that she should go to bed when James suddenly spoke. "If you tried again, I promise to not be so surprised," James ventured tentatively.

Lily's head whipped up. Potter was looking at her with an expression she'd never seen cross his face before. A mixture of hope and nervousness. All she could do was gape at him, her mouth slightly open. James immediately backtracked, his face turning red.

"I'm sorry," he quickly said. "I didn't mean to suggest something like that. It just slipped out I guess. I just-."

Lily cut him off again, taking a giant step towards him and pressing her lips to his. Once again, she didn't know what did it. Perhaps it had been the wild beating of her heart every time she looked at him tonight, or the way he had just looked at her, full of longing and maybe even, dare she think it, love. All she knew was that her body had propelled her towards him, her hands wrapping into his hair and her body sinking into his. She had caught him midsentence, mouth slightly open and Lily trembled at the thought as they both stumbled back against the wall.

For a moment, James didn't move again, letting Lily press his back against the cold hard stone without protest, letting her lips press harder against his. She felt her heart fall and mentally cursed herself for kissing the arrogant prat again when suddenly his arms enclosed around her, pulling her into him until there was no space between them at all.

James held her against him so that she felt every breath he took and every beat his heart made. Ever so gently, his lips pushed back as her heart hammered. His mouth was warm and soft upon hers, something she hadn't expected when such bitter insults fell from it daily. James wrapped his hand around the back of her neck and now pulled her lips as close to him as possible and Lily let him, giving him total control, something she had never done before.

She ran her fingers through his hair, the smell of cologne filling her nose as she tried to comprehend whom exactly she was snogging. It was James Potter for Merlin's sake. And yet she couldn't think of him as she usually did when he was holding her this close and yet this carefully.

Slowly, their lips slowed and the haze that had encompassed Lily began to clear as James kissed her hard one last time before drawing away. The two looked at each other for a moment, James with a stunned expression on his face and Lily feeling as though she'd gotten a bad sunburn from the heat emanating off her cheeks. James opened his mouth as if to speak but then thought better of it, slowly disentangling his arms from her as Lily pulled her hands from his hair, which looked even more messy than usual. Lily smiled at that, and James, feeling the tension break, grinned right back.

"You're cute when you're blushing," he told her.

"Oh shut up," she mumbled, but she knew she was bright red. Her heartbeat still hadn't stopped banging against her ribcage.

"So…" James drew out, looking at her with a long glance and breathing heavily. "I'll see you at breakfast?"

"Yeah," she agreed, nodding her head distractedly as she replayed what just happened. "Of course."

James nodded and grinned wider, turning to head up the stairs. "Oh and James," Lily murmured, catching his hand real quick. He turned towards her and she had the satisfaction of seeing his face a little pink too. "Goodnight."

He smiled. "Goodnight," he whispered. On the same impulse that drove her to him earlier, Lily stepped up and pressed her lips to his forehead, feeling his eyes flutter at her touch.

Then she turned around and dashed down the staircase, clasping her heart and wondering what had gotten into her. She heard James start back up the stairs, whistling happily and tried unsuccessfully not to smile at the sound. Then with a sigh and a head too full of thoughts to process, Lily trudged back up the girl's staircase this time and slipped into her room. It looked no different than it had an hour ago and yet it seemed like everything had changed since then.

With a soft smile, she slipped back into bed, realizing with a start that she could already see the darkness fading away as day began to break. Lily didn't want to think about James Potter or the heated snogging on the boy's staircase. But she did. And as she drifted off to sleep, she realized something her heart had been telling her for a long time. Maybe James Potter wasnt exactly what he seemed.

* * *

><p>The next morning, Lily dragged herself out of bed, groggily confused as to why she was so darn tired. Alice nearly had to hex her to open her eyes and when she finally did, the sunlight made her head hurt. What had happened last night? Then suddenly it all came rushing back in one sickening jolt. Sirius…the scars…his glasses…. her dad…the kiss…. the stairwell.<p>

"Oh god," she groaned, putting her head in her hands. He'd probably tell the whole school that he'd finally gotten her.

"What's wrong?" Mary asked her as Lily began to put on her robes, full of trepidation.

"Its nothing," she muttered, staring out the window at the grounds and shaking her head. "Nothing at all."

The walk down to breakfast nearly did Lily in. She kept watching the other students, trying to see if they were giggling or looking at her more than usual. However, they all minded their own business as Lily stared them down, trying to see a hint of even a whisper from one of them. But none came. Well, that was strange, she thought to herself.

Walking into the Great Hall had its own surprise as the Marauders were already at breakfast, Sirius looking like he had been through the wringer. He had bags under his eyes and was moodily playing with his toast. James held the same dark circles under his eyes but instead of looking gloomy, he was practically radiating with happiness.

"I wonder what's gotten into him," Marlene whispered to Lily, still sounding sick from her cold. "He looks like someone just gave him a cauldron full of gold."

Lily couldn't help but smile slightly. She felt her stomach drop as James noticed her and the two Gryffindors both blushed. James flashed her a winning smile and Lily averted her eyes, trying to avoid the suspicious gazes of her friends as she smiled to herself. So Potter hadn't told anyone…. That was different.

"Good morning," Remus greeted them all as the girls sat down. Marlene nodded her head in greeting and began to spoon everyone enormous helpings of food.

Lily noticed Remus looking at her strangely as his head bounced from the weary circles under Sirius's eyes, to the exuberant ones under James's to finally the shy ones under Lily's. His gaze was questioning but Lily ignored it, turning back to rummage in her book bag.

"Oh no," she suddenly cried out, causing everyone to glance up. "I can't find my Transfiguration book! McGonagall specifically said that we'd need it today for our quiz."

"You can share mine, Lily," Alice offered shrugging her shoulders. "Its no big deal."

Then suddenly, she saw James pull out a book from his stack and hand it to her. "Here, Lily, I think this is yours," he said, placing it in front of her. If Lily's panic over the book hadn't gotten everyone's attention, James's response certainly had.

One, James rarely called Lily by her first name. Two, since when did James Potter carry around his schoolbooks, especially _Lily's _books? And finally, why were they both looking at each other as if one move would blow up the whole table?

"Thanks," Lily said softly. She flipped open the cover and sure enough, saw the ink-inscribed _Evans _on the first page.

"I found it by the staircase this morning," James went on casually, though his eyes never Lily's face. "You must've left it there last night."

Sirius's interest had finally been piqued and he looked at his best friend and the red head with suspicion. He hadn't seen any book by the staircases last night. The others returned to their discussions but Lily and James didn't pull their gazes away.

"Maybe you can help me study for Transfiguration later?" James asked her, a blush creeping up his neck and causing Sirius to stare harder.

"Yeah, maybe," Lily responded, turning her head back towards her plate with a deep blush.

"You two are the weirdest couple ever," Sirius muttered.

**SO…DID YOU LIKE IT? LET ME KNOW, ESPCIALLY ANY IMPROVEMENTS. THE NEXT ONE IS ALMOST DONE AND I'LL BE UPDATING SHORTLY. THANKS FOR READING!**

**STORY NOT COMPLETE.**

**UPDATES WILL STILL OCCUR UNLESS NOTIFIED.**


	2. James Took Lily on a Date

**AS PROMISED, THE LATEST UPDATE. THANK YOU EVERYONE SO MUCH FOR REVIEWS. THE POSITIVE RESPONSES IVE GOTTEN SO FAR JUST MAKE MY DAY. FEEL FREE TO CRITIQUE CRITICALLY THOUGH. I ONLY WANT TO GET BETTER. THIS ONE WAS WRITTEN VERY DIFFERENTLY FROM THE LAST ONE. THE LAST ENTRY WAS WRITTEN THROUGH FROM BEGINNING TO END WHILE THIS ONE WENT THROUGH THE WRINGER, CHANGING LINES, POVS AND REACTIONS RIGHT UP TIL THE FINAL EDIT. LET ME KNOW HOW IT FLOWS OR IF I NEED TO CHANGE ANYTHING. I FELT THIS ONE WAS KIND OF SHAKY AND PERHAPS INCONSISTANT. THANKS FOR READING!**

_I've been hurt, Potter," she said solemnly as James continued to calm his heart. "You know that. Why should I believe that you wouldn't just walk out on me too, like you have a million other girls?"_

_James nearly yelled out in frustration. "Because, Evans," he almost snarled. "After seven years of torture and rejections and every possible insult in the book, I'm still standing right here." He gestured to where he stood. "I cant help but come back."_

**THE FIRST TIME…James took Lily on a date.**

While the Halloween Hogsmeade trip hadn't been the first James had spent with Lily, this was the first they'd spent together it by choice. Third Year, he had followed her in and out of Honeydukes and Zonko's before she finally saw him trailing behind her and threatened to hex his ears off. He only smirked and told her she had quite an ego to think, he, James Potter, would ever follow her around. Fourth Year, Sirius jumped Snape in the Three Broomsticks over something James could no longer remember. When Snivellus fought back, James jumped to his best friend's aide and Lily jumped to hers, getting them all banned from the warm pub for the next two trips. She hadn't talked to him for a week after that.

Fifth Year, Mary and Alice had asked the Marauders to join them on the way to the village, causing Lily to glare at James as though it had been his fault. James, angry at her constant hatred of him, had refused to even look at her for the rest of the trip. By the end of the day, everyone was cold and miserable and gladly parted ways. James's only solace was Lily's surprised look when he marched right past her without so much as a second glance. Sixth Year had been almost as bad. When Lily's boyfriend, Charlie Donahue, dumped her in the middle of the road, James punched the Ravenclaw in the face. Later, he had despondently insisted that he couldn't help it. The minute he had seen the tears spring into her eyes it was as if something had taken over his body. Lily had not been pleased with his show of heroics, however, and shoving her butterbeer in James's face, marched off to the castle, leaving him sputtering in the chilly weather.

As the two walked together now, James couldn't help but glance sideways at her and wonder if today wouldn't somehow go wrong again. Their track record wasn't necessarily leaning towards the bright side. Lily looked calm enough now but James knew that one step out of line could mean the end of the timid truce between them. He thought asking her to go with him would be the hard part, but Mooney had been right. Actually being on a date with Lily was much scarier than James had ever imagined.

"Where do you want to go next?" Lily's voice broke through James's reverie.

"Uh… You choose," he told her, managing a smile as they ambled through the crowded village. Hogwarts students rushed from shop to shop, chatting and laughing, enjoying their day off. James thought he saw a glimpse of Sirius and Remus but the two figures had slipped into Zonko's before he could be sure. It seemed almost the entire castle, naturally excluding the First and Second Years, had decided to come and brave the rather cold Halloween day. With new reports of attacks coming almost daily now, Hogsmeade trips served as an escape for the students.

"I chose to go into Scrivenshaft's," Lily told him, her arms swinging at her side. "Its definitely your turn."

"The worst part about being a Seventh Year is that by this time you've seen everything there is to see," James groaned.

Lily smiled a bit at that. "But the best part is that getting through the crowds is much easier," she pointed out. As if on cue, a few Third Years ducked out of their path in a hurry as James and Lily cut through their midst. They both chuckled at that.

The laughing eased some of the tension as they continued wandering. James heart had come down a bit from his throat now though his palms were still sweating. Every time her hands brushed by his, James's pulse sped to twice the normal rate. _She's going to kill me before this day is done, _James muttered to himself as he wiped his hands on his jacket.

"We could go to Madam Puddifoot's," James suggested weakly as they passed the gaudy teashop. He was happy to hear her snort.

"James Potter? In Madam Puddifoot's?" Lily laughed outright and James grinned at her. "No, not even I could condemn you to such a fate."

"I thought girl's liked that sort of thing," he insisted, still smiling as Lily gave the teashop a patronizing look.

"If you thought for a moment I was just going to be some girl, James Potter, today might come as quite a surprise for you," Lily responded smartly.

James couldn't help but grin at her comment. He knew better than anyone that Lily was anything but 'some girl'. "How 'bout the Three Broomsticks?" James proposed as they passed the pub. "Generic, but I swear Halloween's never been this cold before."

"I could do with some butterbeer," Lily agreed.

"Three Broomsticks it is," James decided and the two cut across a couple lines of traffic to enter the crowded tavern, making younger students jump out of their way.

Inside was smoky and warm, fires crackling merrily as gusts of cold autumn air blew in from the door. Student and professor alike were milling about, enjoying a drink, a good laugh, and a reprieve from the daily grind that came with the magic of Hogwarts. A few tables away, James saw Frank Longbottom and Alice Wright wave towards their direction. Lily waved back as Alice winked, making her blush. James loosened his shirt collar and tried not to flush along with her. He always thought first dates felt like a spotlight had suddenly been trained on him, everyone watching to see whether he screwed it up or not. Not this time, he told himself as he and Lily wove through the hoards of people, not with Lily.

"Hey Frank, Alice," James greeted their friends with a nod as they pulled up two empty chairs.

"Hi you two," Alice smiled at Lily and James, sliding an extra butterbeer across the table. "Marlene just left before she could drink it, muttering something about an owl, so feel free to share it." Lily looked slightly red again at the suggestion as Frank and Alice smiled sickeningly at each other. James wanted to roll his eyes.

Every group of friends had a couple that had been together forever and for James and Lily, Alice and Frank were it. Frank had asked Alice out Second Year after spending First Year blushing every time she looked at him. They hadn't let each other out of their sight since. Disregarding a minor misunderstanding in Fifth Year, it had been very apparent for a long time that the two were destined to be together. Usually James didn't mind their silent communication or shared glances but at a time like now, he couldn't help but feel intimidated by their relationship. Sitting here on a first date with Lily against Alice and Frank made James feel as if he were a First Year trying to take on the entire Bulgarian Quidditch Team by himself. Gulping, he pushed the butterbeer towards Lily.

"You can have it," he told her, hoping to evade Alice's push towards a direction he and Lily weren't ready to go yet.

Lily shook her head and handed it to him. "No, I'm fine. You go ahead and have it." James glared at her and Lily only smiled challengingly.

"Really, Evans," he said solemnly. "I'm not even thirsty."

"Good," she said. "Neither am I."

James rolled his eyes. "Just take the drink," he insisted. "You're the girl, I'm the guy. That's how it works."

"You take the drink, James," Lily told him. "You were the one that was cold!"

"Or you could _share_," Alice chimed in. James shot her a glare, knowing she thought it would be cute. Alice only smiled and gestured towards the hot drink. Begrudgingly, James and Lily took turns sipping out of the cup, both blushing and avoiding each other's gazes.

"So James, how's the team looking this year for the first match against Hufflepuff?" Frank asked, leaning back in his chair. James sighed in gratitude.

"I have to admit I'm pretty pleased with our new additions," James began as Lily and Alice settled into talking about how Mary MacDonald had been eyeing Hufflepuff Brian Harris since they got partnered in Potions.

At first, James kept glancing at Lily to make sure she was having a good time. He figured out she must have been doing the same for every once in awhile, their eyes would meet at the same time. Then they would both quickly avert their eyes after that, each pretending that they hadn't seen the other watching them. James was painfully aware of Lily's hand on the table and his own a couple inches away. If they were alone, perhaps he would've tried to wind his fingers into hers, but Frank was giving him knowing looks, making James uncomfortable.

Soon enough, however, the four settled into an enjoyable conversation about Professor Kettleburn's latest injury. It almost seemed….normal. As if sitting in the Three Broomsticks together was a common occurrence. James roared with laughter as Alice gave a perfect impression of the professor's wavering tenor voice. Lily guffawed beside him, nearly sloshing butterbeer over the table as she slapped her knee. They were all four making quite a scene but they couldn't help it. James saw McGonagall eyeing them from the counter and half expected her to come and reprimand them for "disturbing the peace" but she only smiled, leaving James to believe that Madam Rosmerta _had _to have put something else in the drinks today. As Alice collapsed onto Frank's shoulder in a fit of giggling, Lily and James made eye contact. With a smile, James reached out and placed his hand over hers, heart pounding. Lily blushed scarlet but then smiled back and twisted her hand around his.

The conversation continued as the empty glasses of butterbeer stacked up around the table. James learned that Frank was actually a talented Quidditch player though he'd never tried out for the team because he thought it'd hurt his grades. James promised that he'd let him join some of their practices in the coming week or two and maybe teach them all some new tricks. With Amos Diggory as Hufflepuff Captain, they might even need it. Laughing at some remark Lily had made, James drowned the last of his glass before glancing around the table and noticing that their drinks were gone once more.

"Your turn to get this round, James," Alice told him, entwining her arm around Frank's. "Lily and I got the last one."

With a sigh, James pushed back his chair and stood up, letting his hand slip out of Lily's. He missed the warmth immediately though the room was stifling hot. Eyeing the line up at the bar, James joked, "If I don't come back soon, save yourselves." They laughed.

"We'll make sure Lily makes it out alive, James, don't you worry," Alice jested, making him flush again. Turning around, he strode towards the bar, whistling as he went, too happy to see anything else but Lily's laughing face. If he had been paying attention, perhaps James would have seen the boy sitting in the corner, eyeing him with contempt. Perhaps then, he would've saved Lily some trouble. Because Severus Snape had seen them together, and he wasn't happy.

"I'm going to go to the lavatory," Lily told Frank and Alice as James slipped away. She was sure that she must have looked a mess by this time and welcomed the chance to freshen up, not that she was trying to impress anyone in particular or anything.

"Sounds good," Frank said as Alice snuggled into him. "Just don't drown or Potter will have my head on a spike." Lily laughed it off but as she walked towards the bathrooms, she couldn't help but wonder if James really did feel for her. She had continued to tell herself it was only the fascination of the chase for him but today had seemed so real. In fact, she was actually enjoying herself.

Winding around tables, Lily caught the eye of Moira Clarke, who promptly sent her an evil look. Startled, Lily wondered what she'd ever done to her. Then she remembered. Moira and James had gone on a date Sixth Year. In fact, if Lily recalled correctly, they had gone on the Halloween Hogsmeade trip together. It was the day he had punched Charlie in the middle of the road. The memory still made Lily burn with embarrassment.

Scooting around her table, Lily noticed Moira wasn't the only girl giving her jealous glances. Shocked, she saw at least three or four others giving her envious looks. With a smile, Lily realized it was because she was here with James. Not sure whether to laugh or feel insulted, Lily strode through to the back of the pub as quick as she could, marveling that so many girls really did want to go out with him. And here, James still picked her…

Out of nowhere, a dark shape hurtled towards her, a single pale hand fixing on her arm. "Ow," she exclaimed, trying to twist out of its grip. "Let go!" Looking around, she tried to see if anyone else had noticed her struggle but the bathrooms were just far enough away from the action for anybody to notice.

The hand tightened and began to pull Lily farther into the corner. Gritting her teeth, Lily reached back with her other hand and slapped the figure's face as hard as she could. "Ouch, Lily!" the shape exclaimed, reeling back. "I just wanted to talk."

"Sev?" Lily asked incredulously as her old friend drew back his hood and regarded her warily. "Why did you attack me?"

"I didn't attack you," Severus said moodily. "I was trying to get you to come with me somewhere quieter but you slapped me."

Lily almost sighed in relief before suddenly their whole situation came flooding back to her. She reeled back coldly. Her and Severus had avoided each other this past year or so, but she should've known that it couldn't last forever.

"What do you want?" she asked him in a hardened voice, her gaze flicking to her table. Frank and Alice were alone still. James must still be in line. _James. _Lily craned her neck for a view of him. If she could only get his attention, she knew that he'd make Severus vanish in an instant.

"I just want to talk," Severus responded flatly. "Can we go outside?"

Lily stayed silent.

"Please," Severus asked in a softer voice. "I promise it will only take a second."

Sighing, Lily took one last hopeful look at her table before turning her gaze on Snape once more. "Five minutes, no more."

He almost looked happy as the two slipped out of the back door and into the alleyway between the Three Broomsticks and the Post Office. "Not here," Lily said automatically. It was too deserted. "Cant we talk in the street?"

"If you want to be seen," he told her.

"I don't care." Lily swallowed. She knew Snape wouldn't hurt her, but his friends were a different story. Plus, being in an alleyway with him alone would make people wonder. It was best if they were out in the open. Then if something did happen, she'd have witnesses.

With a sigh, Severus led her out into the bustling road. No one even gave them a second glance. Severus and Lily had been very careful to let no visible animosity show during school. They mostly acted like the other didn't exist, though Lily played the part better than Severus did. She sometimes saw his eyes wander onto her like James's did with the same longing expression in his eyes. But while James sometimes made her heart twist, Severus's gaze only made her cringe.

"What do you want?" she repeated coldly to him again as they slowed to a stop at the alleyway's mouth.

Snape's gaze hardened as she glared at him. "What are you doing in there…_with him_?" he hissed.

Lily stiffened, as she knew he referred to James. "Its none of your business," she told him, wanting nothing more than for him to turn around and slink back off to his Death Eater friends.

Severus looked furious. "You promised me you never would do it," he spat, eyes suddenly burning as he took a closer step to her. "You gave me your word!"

Lily took a step back at the ferocity in his words but quickly gathered her wits. "That was before a lot of things," she told him callously.

"If this is about what I called you again-," Snape started to say but Lily cut him off.

"Merlin, Severus, it was just a word," she told him angrily, rolling her eyes. "You were not the first person to call me it." With a sigh, Lily took a deep breath and attempted to gain control of her anger again. "It was much more than the word," she said, much more calm. "It was the reasons why you said it."

"And what were they?" Snape asked coldly.

"You know what they were," she snarled, causing Derik Hughes to give her a strange look as he passed. She lowered her voice again. "It was your new "friends" and the rumors I was hearing about what you got up to at midnight in the Forbidden Forest. It was the attacks on Gryffindors and the way you looked at me as if I was vermin." Lily willed herself not to wince at that last bit." I was your friend and _you _turned _your _back on me, remember?"

Severus had the decency to allow a faint blush to creep into his sallow cheeks. "My friend?" he scoffed. "I wasn't the only one with rumors floating around about them. You had new "friends" too." The way he said "friends" made Lily feel surprisingly defensive of the Marauders. It was a feeling she hadn't expected to experience towards them. "Friends that tortured me endlessly and laughed at my pain. And now here you are, with the boy you told me you'd never love." His last comment hung in the air with a sneer and Lily felt herself go cold inside.

"Is that what this whole meeting is about?" she asked, her voice having gone dangerously quiet as both breathed heavily in the autumn air. "It's not even a ploy to get my friendship back? It's about the fact that I'm with _him_?" Lily felt hurt.

"Are you actually on a date with him?" Snape asked, his voice devoid of emotion as he stared at Lily.

She paused for a brief second before saying, "So what if I am?"

Severus's lip curled in anger. "He's a prat, Lily," he told her heatedly, his dark eyes fixing on hers. "You know that even more than I do. I don't care if he has a Head Boy badge or not, that toerag is nothing but trouble."

"Hey, that toerag is my date," Lily defended, crossing her arms. "And he's changed a lot, not that you'd have noticed. When's the last time he cursed you?"

"That's not the point!" Snape exclaimed. "It makes no difference!"

"It makes all the difference in the world," Lily told him, brushing a stray hair from her face.

"I don't care if you say he's 'changed'," Snape snarled. "I know that he hasn't. He's just pretending to get you to fall for his classic Potter charm. You're the only girl who hasn't given in, so naturally he'll do anything to get you."

Lily was very silent for a moment, breathing heavily. "You are not to judge who I go out with, Severus," she said evenly, trying to sound in control though she knew she was anything but. "You gave up that privilege a long time ago."

"A promise is a promise," Snape continued through gritted teeth.

"It was a promise made by a young girl who didn't know what she was saying!" Lily exclaimed, her cheeks flushing.

"You knew enough to hate him!" Snape spat back.

"I never hated him!" she blurted out. Snape's mouth opened and closed and Lily inwardly cursed herself at the admission. It was something she had been thinking about for a while now, but she'd never uttered her musing out loud until this moment.

"Yes, you did," Snape whispered quietly, coming closer to her. His voice sounded pleading this time, all traces of enmity forgotten at her admission. "I don't know what they've done to you to make you believe that you didn't but you hated them all. Especially him. I know you at least hated Potter." His eyes searched hers imploringly but Lily found she couldn't give him what he was looking for. What she had said had been true. All those years when she thought she hated him, it had only been because she was afraid to let him in. It had been the only way for her to save herself.

"You knew I never truly hated him," she said softly, closing her eyes as she took a deep breath and then opening them again. The words coming out of her mouth scared her. "You knew the truth even before I did. And it scared you."

Severus stayed silent, his eyes pleading with her. "Don't Lily…"

"I think you knew all along that someday, I would say yes to him," she continued bravely, every word a struggle to form.

You don't mean that," Severus winced, his voice hurt.

Lily looked at him with sympathy, her own heart pounding. "I do," she whispered solemnly.

Severus glared at her with hatred but Lily saw the hurt in his eyes. Steeling herself, Lily told herself that this was not her fault; that this was something Severus had done to himself. She felt tears spring up to her eyes and she rubbed at them viciously, trying to hide them from her former friend.

"Lily, I'm so sorry," he told her earnestly. "Please, don't go to him just because I pushed you away. I beg you." She could see he was telling the truth. He really was sorry.

"You knew it was always him," she willed herself to whisper and knowing it was true. She could remember every moment she'd spent with James. First Year when Sirius and he and spilt pudding in her lap at the Start of Term Feast. That time when she had fallen asleep amongst her books in the library Third Year, studying for her Arthrimancy final and James and Remus carried her back to the Common Room, Sirius and Peter carrying her piles of books behind them. When she'd failed a pop quiz in Transfiguration during Fourth Year and James had found her crying in the bathroom and offered to tutor her in secret so she could keep her pride. She remembered Fifth Year when he'd revealed his animagus secret to her and how she hadn't wanted to tell him how great she thought he was for it. She couldn't forget how he punched Charlie Donahue for her in Sixth Year. As much as she yelled at him for being so stupid, Lily knew she was secretly grateful for what he had done. And then just last week, when blushing and grinning, he'd asked her for the millionth time to accompany him to Hogsmeade. It was the first time Lily said yes.

It was as if all these memories floated through her head at once, jumbling on top of each other and clamoring to be heard. Lily knew that they all pointed to the truth in her words, every last memory. Looking Severus in the eye, she said simply, "After all this time, it was always him. Always."

Snape straightened, all emotion draining from his eyes as he took in her rejection. "Well then…" he said coldly, his eyes boring into hers as his face screwed up in anger. She was sure he would've said something he would've regretted, but a voice from behind Lily startled both of them.

"Lily? Is that you?" She turned and saw James making his way towards them, his cheeks still flushed from the warmth of the pub. "Alice and Frank said you'd gone to the bathroom but when I couldn't find you Derik told me…."

His voice had trailed off as he caught sight of Snape. Lily watched as his eyes narrowed, expression growing hard and unreadable. "What's he doing here?" he asked harshly.

"Leaving," Snape replied coldly.

Looking down, James seemed to notice Lily's red eyes though she had tried to cover them up. His eyes darkened as he whipped around to Snape. "What'd you do?" he asked, dangerously quiet.

Lily tugged on his sleeve. "Just drop it James, its not worth it," she told him, not daring to glance at Severus.

James looked down at her, confusion in his eyes as he put his arm around her protectively. "Yes, I'm not worth it, Potter," Snape sneered. "Just prance right on back into your little pub and forget I was ever here." James bristled but Lily nudged him. Snape took a step closer to Lily and gave her one last glare.

"I hope you enjoy the rest of your _date_." He spat out the last word before turning and striding into the crowd, his robes billowing as if he were a bat gliding through the street.

As she watched him vanish, Lily felt her emotions boil over and she held her free hand to her eyes to futilely try and hold back the tears that threatened to break through.

"Lily?" James's voice drifted to her, more gentle than she'd ever heard it.

"I need to leave," Lily managed out thickly, withdrawing her hand from his and wiping her face with it.

"We could go back to the-," James started to offer but Lily cut him off.

"Not back to the castle," she said. "Not where people can see me."

James was silent for a moment. "I know where to go," he said quietly. "Follow me." Lily watched as he turned around and strode through the crowd of students. Turning around, Lily looked one last time to see if Severus was behind her. He wasn't. Lily didn't know whether to feel disappointed or relieved.

"Are you coming?" James's voice came back to her as he marched back to her quizzically.

She craned her neck one last time. "Yeah," she finally said, looking up at James. "Yeah, I'm coming with you."

With a small smile, James held out his hand and Lily tentatively took it. It was warm and strong and she could feel the muscles earned from hours of throwing a quaffle tighten when he closed his fingers around hers. The gesture was simple but for a moment, Lily found herself unable to remember why she had been so upset in the first place.

"Where are we going?" she managed to ask, hiding a small flush as they turned into the throngs of students.

"Well," James looked thoughtful for a pause, "Its kind of a secret."

"What kind of secret?" Lily asked, slightly nervous now. The Marauders weren't necessarily known for non-dangerous secrets.

"Lily, Lily, Lily," James smiled as they continued. "Do you trust me?"

Lily only looked at him. Did she trust James? She thought she did a few minutes ago when Severus had challenged her feelings, but now as they walked together, Lily found the hammering of her heart left out any options of knowing for sure by the wayside. She wasn't even thinking clearly.

"Yes?" she told him but it came as more of an unsure question.

"Then follow me."

James watched from a few feet away as Lily tentatively followed him through the door and into the Shrieking Shack. Seeing it in person made James ashamed they never had cleaned up more. A few of Sirius's toys were in the corner or tossed carelessly around the room while whole sections of the couch and furniture were strewn across the floor. Remus had certainly made it look scary enough. He only hoped Lily overlooked the ferocious bite marks on the bannister and the legs of most of the chairs.

Her expression was lifeless and empty, as if Snape had sucked out her soul. It was an expression Lily had never let him see before. Her arms were clasped tightly to herself as looked around for James. He gestured towards the stairs and Lily nodded. There was a bedroom up there with a bed and a chair they could sit on that hadn't been completely mauled yet. What he would say when they got there, James had no idea. Would Lily want to be alone? What had gone on back there?

The door creaked open as James pushed on the handle. It felt strange to be a human in a shack he usually only visited as an animal. Lily followed behind him, looking all around her with interest. "So this is where you all wait out the full moon," she stated softly, her fingers trailing the piano in the corner's edge and coming up with dust.

"The one and only," James attempted to jest. Lily managed a small smile. She sat down on the bed and let her toes gently scrape along the floor.

"I wonder what will happen to this place when Remus graduates," she murmured. James sat down gingerly in the chair and hoped it didn't break beneath him. Turning his gaze upon Lily, he saw her eyes were rimmed with red and slightly puffy and her hands were slightly shaking. He didn't really care though. In his mind, she was always beautiful.

"Sorry about back there," she said suddenly, blowing out a deep breath. "I haven't talked to Severus since the Sixth Year and it was…quite an encounter."

"Are you okay?" he asked her softly, not knowing what to say. Lily shrugged.

"Its not like losing his friendship was something new," she told him with a small smile. "I've had a long while to let it sink in that some people don't understand the concept of loyalty."

"I'm sorry," James said, not knowing what else to offer her. It hardly seemed appropriate to hug her, as it seemed most girls did to other girls when they were upset.

Lily snorted at his comment and looked like some life had reentered her. Her eyes met his and James found that she looked..._amused. _"You know, Potter," she said, the corner of her mouth twitching up in a grin. "It truly is ironic that after all these years, you're the one that's never left me. Severus was my truest friend and you were…well…" Lily broke off and thought for a moment. James stayed silent.

"Now Severus has abandoned me. And yet, you still sit here." Lily looked at him with a serious expression on her face.

"Here I am," James said with a weak smile. What was he thinking? He cursed himself inside. She probably thought that was insensitive, he told himself. James resisted the urge to smack himself in the head.

"Why _are_ you here, James?" she asked him softly. For once, there was no venom or annoyance in her voice as Lily regarded him with unreadable eyes.

"Because…" his voice came out strangled. He didn't know what to tell her. That after all these years, the crush he had in First Year had developed into something much greater? That he was here because of the way her hair looked after she just woke up or because of how she was the only girl in school who ever stood up against him because she knew it was right? That he sat in the Shrieking Shack with her because the left side of her nose crinkled when she smiled and that she always somehow made him want to be someone better? "…you're my friend," he finally told her.

Lily sighed and James wanted to curse himself again. "I know you are," she said, leaning back against the wall and rubbing her eyes again. "Severus was my friend too, once. I thought he would never, ever leave me. Not in a million years. But now I know. Friends cant always be trusted."

"I would never betray you, Lily." James had blurted out the words before he had though about what he was saying. Her eyes suddenly filled with tears.

"I'm sorry!" she exclaimed, sitting up and rubbing at her eyes vigorously. "I'm not usually like this. You know that. I don't know why Severus still hurts me after all these years."

"Because he was the first person to hurt you," James said softly, knowing it was true.

"No he wasn't," Lily lowered her hand and revealed her swollen eyes. James still thought she was beautiful. "My sister hurt me when she hated me for being a witch. Half of Slytherin house hated me First Year when they learned I was muggleborn. That hurt too. Charlie Donahue hurt me when he dumped me in front of everyone last year. I know what it's like to be hurt."

James knew he probably shouldn't argue with her, but he felt he should continue. After all, that's what Lily and he always did best. Argue. "Snape was the first person that you truly let in," James continued cautiously, his eyes never leaving her face. "You thought of him as part of yourself. When he left, it was as if you had lost a piece of you."

"How would you know?" she asked, though her question held no venom.

"Sirius," James said simply. "To think of him turning his back on me..." James shook his head at the dark thought. "I don't know if I'd ever be the same."

Lily looked hard at James for a moment. "You know, Potter," she said, "You're a lot smarter than you look."

"I'll try and take that as a compliment." He grinned and was pleased to see that Lily smiled too. When she cried, he wanted nothing more than to hold her, but he still felt as though the redhead wouldn't welcome his touch at the moment. They fell into a comfortable silence, listening to the wind howl through the Shack. James mused how it sort of did sound like a werewolf. One very far away, that is.

"Sorry for ruining our date," Lily suddenly said, looking up at James apologetically. "I finally said yes but still blew the whole thing."

"Nah," James assured her, shaking his head. "You didn't blow it."

Lily laughed, making James feel better. "Well I don't know what you'd call this then." She gestured to them and the Shack.

"Just a detour," James said confidently, waving off her concerns. "We got to explore, right?"

For a moment she looked as if she was going to point out how he was here once a month but then she seemed to think better of it, starting off on a different tangent with a queer look in her eye. "Sometimes, its still hard to believe that out of all the girls in Hogwarts, you like me." James felt embarrassed at his poor job of hiding his emotions. Though he'd slipped up while asking her out, he thought he'd done a decent job of acting normal around her this year.

"I never said I liked you," the words tumbled out once more before James could stop them. To his surprise, Lily looked let down, a frown fleeted across her face before suddenly returning to stoic. James swore under his breath.

"Oh," she said, blushing slightly, staring at the floor. "I guess I just assumed after all these years, you still…you know… And then last week, with the Patronuses…" She trailed off.

"I never said I liked you," James repeated, red in the face and looking anywhere else but at Lily. "But I do."

She glanced quickly at James before turning her face downwards again, though she looked even redder than she did before. He waited for a few painful moments before giving up. Pushing himself off his chair, James walked to the window and took a breath of fresh air, more to escape Lily and her response for a couple more moments. He always had such success with every other girl he had ever hit on. Why was Lily so difficult? Everything he said seemed to be wrong.

He drew his head inside the window again and turned to face the room once more. Lily had moved against the wall and was now leaning against it and watching him closely. She held an expression on her face that James had never seen before and it scared him witless. All he wanted was to leave the Shack and pretend all of this conversation had never happened.

Suddenly, Lily walked towards him, her eyes never leaving his. "Did you mean what you just said?" she asked softly, crossing her arms.

James felt his heart pound. The door wasn't that far away. Maybe he could still make it there. "James?" Lily asked him, her eyes pleading with his for an answer. Swallowing, James managed a nod, bracing himself for whatever came next.

Lily bit her lip and her eyes filled with tears again. "Why me?" she whispered, drawing away from him again and covering her face.

James felt his heart sink. Of course she rejected him. Again. How could he have even let himself hope for anything else? Hadn't the past seven years taught him anything?

"Why me?" she said again, but this time louder. "Out of every girl in Hogwarts, you like me."

"You don't need to keep repeating it," James told her dryly, feeling as though he'd been punched in the gut and then kicked in the groin.

"Why?" she demanded, stopping to look at him with red eyes and a hardened expression. "When you could have anyone, why have you always trailed after me, Potter?"

James couldn't believe she was actually going there. "Why do you care?" he retorted coldly. Rejection had never stung so badly before.

"Because all these years I've continued to pass you off as if you had some fleeting crush on me and yet you still insist that you like me," Lily told him, regarding him with a dazed look on her face. "You're starting to make me believe you and I want to know why."

"What guy wouldn't want you, Evans?" James asked her fiercely, feeling angry that he had to answer to her after she'd already made it clear that she wasn't interested. "You're brilliant, and talented, and never back down from a fight. Of course I like you. How could I not? With you walking past every morning, beautiful as ever with the only personality that's been able to match mine besides Sirius!"

He was breathing heavily, his heart pounding in his chest. Finally, he had told her. It was done with. If she didn't want him then at least James couldn't say he hadn't tried. Lily stared at him in wonder and maybe even apprehension.

Then suddenly, she took a step forward. "I've been hurt, Potter," she said solemnly as James continued to calm his heart. "You know that. Why should I believe that you wouldn't just walk out on me too like you have a million other girls?"

James nearly yelled out in frustration. "Because, Evans," he almost snarled. "After seven years of torture and rejections and every possible insult in the book, I'm still standing right here." He gestured to where he stood. "I cant help but come back."

Lily looked pained as he spoke but James didn't care anymore. She took a step closer to him. "James Potter likes me," she murmured. "You're the most handsome, charming guy at Hogwarts who's never lost a Quidditch Match and you would pick _me _before any girl in the school?"

For a moment, James was distracted by the fact that she had complimented him but he shook himself out of the trap. "I think I've been trying to make that clear for awhile now," he told her darkly. "If you're going to reject me again, please just do it already. I cant take it anymore."

Lily only shook her head. "James…. Seeing Severus today…It just reminded me how much darker this world is becoming. Friends turning into Death Eaters. Muggleborns in more danger than ever…I just don't know right now."

James felt as though she had shot him through the heart. For a second, he didn't believe what he had heard. Lily had always rejected his advances, but something about this seemed so…final. She had actually said no. Taking a breath, James pulled himself together.

"That's all I needed to know," he told her flatly, trying to wrestle all emotion off his face. "I promise I'll stop bothering you now."

Turning, he strode towards the door. "James, that's not what I meant!" Lily called after him. His fingers paused on the doorknob, breathing heavily and wondering if he should turn back. "James, please."

Shaking his head at his own stupidity, James turned around against his better judgment. Lily was looking at him, stricken, her hands clutched over her heart. He waited for her to speak first.

"James," she pleaded softly. "Its not you-."

He cut her off. "Let me guess," he said sarcastically, "You were about to finish with 'its me'."

Lily nodded, her voice growing stronger. "You don't want me," she told him, shaking her head. "You…you need something more than I could ever give you."

"Oh really?" James asked quietly. "And what would that be?"

She sank onto the bed again, looking distressed. "I'm not right for you. You're Prince Charming and I'm the girl who'd rather be her own knight in shining armor. You have the whole school cheering for you on a Quidditch Field while I earn dirty looks for acing my last three exams. While the whole house of Gryffindor adored you, I had a Slytherin friend. For a while I didn't even think I was a Gryffindor. You're a pureblood and I'm muggleborn. And lets face it James, in these dangerous times dating me could get you killed. The whole world would be better off if we weren't together."

James was silent for a long moment. He only watched as Lily sighed and let her head sink into her hands. "That's why you don't like me?" he finally asked.

Lily lifted her head with a weary expression. "I never said I didn't like you," she told him softly.

James attempted to banish the small glimmer of hope that rose in his heart at her words. Taking a deep breath, he crossed the room and gently sat next to her. "Evans, I don't want to offend you," he started gravely, "But those are the stupidest reasons I've ever heard."

For a second, he thought Lily might smile but then she rolled her eyes. "Those are not stupid!" she declared, turning to face him defiantly.

"If my being a Pureblood is part of what's keeping you away from me, I'd gladly go to the Ministry and request a name change. Then no one would ever know," he told her seriously.

"Its not just that…" she said, trailing off. "Its everything. You're… I don't know… Mr. Perfect according to every girl in school, and I'm just…me."

James gulped as he stared down at her. A response was on the tip of his tongue, barely restraining itself as she tugged on a strand of hair. He had gone this far and plus, she'd already rejected him so there really wasn't anything to lose. But still… Well, better now than never, James told himself, grimacing.

Gathering a deep breath, James Potter looked down at Lily and let the words tumble out. "You know that's all I've ever wanted."

For a moment, she didn't move and James thought that maybe she hadn't heard. Or just hadn't wanted to. Then she looked at him. "You mean it?"

He nodded. "You know I do."

Lily took a deep breath. Then looked at the floor. Then took another breath. Then muttered to herself for a moment and sighed. Then looked at James. Her gaze was unreadable. Then suddenly…

"First rules first," she said in a determined voice. "Absolutely no PDA. And I mean it. Nothing beyond hand holding at least. We all remember when Marjorie Jordan and Bill Horn dated Fifth Year and nobody wants to see that again."

James couldn't help but gape. "Secondly, no pranks. I'm serious about that too, Potter. If I get one more hair dye slipped into my shampoo we will be over faster than you can catch a quaffle. Three, while I understand having you around will mean adopting the other three with you, please try and get them to respect my privacy. You know how it irks me when my reading time is ruined. Four, you will not let Sirius make sexual jokes about us. I don't care how you do it, just make him-."

"Wait a second," James cut her off incredulous, "Does this mean-Are you actually saying you'll go out with me?"

Lily attempted her best annoyed expression but he thought he saw a hint of a smile. "As smart as you are Potter, I'm surprised you hadn't caught onto that already."

His face split into a grin. "You're sure you mean it?" James asked her again, as he stood and turned to face her. "Because I'm warning you Evans, if you say yes, I will never, ever let you go."

Lily smiled at him and stood. Biting her lip, she placed her hands on his chest and looked at him deeply before finally whispering, "Yes."

With one last beaming glance, James wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her into him, letting her lips brush against his. "Lily," he murmured, letting his forehead rest on hers, noses barely touching. "Promise you'll never let me go either."

"After all these years?" She smiled. "Never."

James let a chuckle escape as he tucked a strand behind her ear and gazed at her with wonder. Gently, he cupped her face and lowered her lips to his, barely brushing. He could feel Lily breathing as he slowly drew her closer, pressing every inch of her body against his.

"James?" she suddenly whispered. He nodded slowly and brushed back another strand of hair. Lily drew away and looked at him solemnly. "We've waited seven years. Don't take your time."

Throwing his head back, James laughed. He tightened his grip on her waist and pushed her back against the bedpost. "Trust me, Lily dearest," he told her with a grin. "We've got all the time in the world."

He leaned in once more but Lily suddenly pushed back against him, a grin playing about her mouth. "James?"

"Ahuh," he murmured, kissing her neck.

"Did we ever tell Alice and Frank we were leaving?" she asked, chuckling.

"Oh please," James grinned, "They knew before we did that this was where today was going."

As she smiled, James leaned in and captured her lips in his. Her mouth was soft, as he knew it would be. Moving his lips against hers, James slid his hand around her neck and deepened their kiss. This was right, he thought as Lily pressed back against him, the warmth of her hands apparent even through his sweater. This was why he had waited for all these years. Because Lily fit into him as no other girl ever had. She was his perfect match.

As if sensing what he was thinking, Lily slid her arms around his neck and opened her mouth, allowing his tongue to glide in and explore. Her arms wrestled with his hair, tugging on the dark strands and giving him goosebumps. He had warned her, James thought as they both tumbled backwards onto the bed, he had told her from the start. Once she said yes, he was never, not ever, letting her go.

**ONCE MORE, THANKS FOR READING! IT MEANS EVERYTHING TO ME! REVIEW IF YOU CAN AND I'LL PM TO EACH ONE PERSONALLY IF YOU HAVE AN ACCOUNT. LET ME KNOW!**


	3. James Met Lily

**THIS INSTALLMENT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO WRITE. A LITTLE NOTICE ABOUT IT. THIS ONE WAS WRITTEN FROM 11-YEAR-OLD JAMES'S POV SO IT'S A LITTLE MORE SIMPLE AND LACED WITH THE PREJUDICES ALL FIRST YEARS HAVE. HIS OPINIONS ABOUT HOUSES ARE NOT MY OWN, TRUST ME I LOVE THEM ALL, BUT RATHER WHAT HIS DAD'S BIASED OPINION HAS BEEN. ALSO, THE TRAIN SCENE THAT'S INCLUDED WITHIN WAS ORIGINALLY WRITTEN BY JKR AND I TAKE NO OWNERSHIP OF IT WHATSOEVER. ANOTHER SIDE NOTE. THE MARAUDERS ARE SOME OF MY FAVORITE CHARACTERS AND I DID MY BEST NOT TO GET DISTRACTED BY THE NEW FRIENSHIP BETWEEN JAMES AND SIRIUS BUT ITS JUST SO HARD! PLUS, I FIGURED YOUNG JAMES WOULDN'T HAVE IMMEDIATLEY FOCUSED ON LILY ALL THE TIME, SO I TRIED TO BE A BIT REALISTIC. THERE ISNT AS MUCH ACTUAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THEM BECAUSE ITS THEIR FIRST DAY AT HOGWARTS AND REALLY, THEYRE ALL TOO DISTRACTED TO BE THINKING THAT FAR INTO THE FUTURE. ALSO, I'M NOT TALENTED ENOUGH TO WRITE A SORTING HAT SONG SO THAT'S CUT OUT. SO, LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK AND TELL ME IF I NEED TO REVISE. I ENJOYED WRITING THIS BUT I'M AFRAID IT DIDN'T TURN OUT AS WELL AS I'D HOPED! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.**

"_Good thing," Lily retorted with a huff, glaring at James. "Because I would never, ever in a million years even consider going out with you." With that, she turned back towards the window and huddled into a ball, staring out into the countryside. _

_James's face was still burning with humiliation and anger when Sirius said through the silence a few moments later, "You two _totally_ love each other."_

**THE FIRST TIME…JAMES MET LILY. **

This was it. A sense of excitement filled the air as James made his way through the train. This was the day he was finally off to Hogwarts. The calls of parents still drifted through open windows while students, some already in their school robes, rushed past. James was glad that the inside of the train was not nearly as smoky as the outside, for with all the trunks in the way it was already a miracle he hadn't tripped. Students of all ages were already waving wands and schoolbooks about, knocking anyone in the head that wasn't fast enough to dodge. James even had to swerve out of the way as a cat suddenly darted past him, screeching and hissing at anyone who tried to touch it. A boy who looked about his same age followed, arms out in an attempt to catch the snarling thing. The round-faced boy blundered out an apology as he passed, panting heavily. James just grinned. He could tell he was going to love school already.

Pulling his trunk behind him, he continued past compartments packed with older kids who had already said goodbye to their parents. Shouts of laughter and greetings between old friends rang back and forth as doors slid open and shut. James found himself dodging student and animal alike as he made his way to the back of the train. Pulling his luggage was no easy work. He could only hope the rest of this year would not be as difficult.

"Excuse me!" James said, pushing his way through the crowd as the train hollered its last horn and lurched into motion. "I need to get through." With one last tug on his trunk and some exclamations of pain as its wheels rolled over unsuspecting feet, it seemed that James had finally emerged into a quieter part of the train.

Turning behind him, James stared at all the hubbub in amazement. Couldn't they all get settled into compartments and then enjoy each other's company? Rolling his eyes, he began to pass compartments filled with only a few students and most of them young. _No…no… _James thought as he passed each compartment. It seemed almost everywhere had been taken. _No… that one too…nope…no…n-aha!_

At first glance the compartment had seemed empty, but a closer look as he reached for the handle let James realize that someone else did indeed occupy the space. It was a girl with red hair and she even looked about his age. James hesitated for a moment, his hand pausing on the handle. It was technically her compartment. What if she had been saving it for other people? Looking up and down the hall, James noticed with dismay that the train was filling up. Soon enough, there wouldn't be any spaces left at all. James looked back at the girl again. She didn't look like she'd mind company, and plus, its not like he had any other options.

Sliding open the door, James drew his trunk inside the room. "Do you mind if I join you?" James asked as the girl looked at him, startled. "Everywhere else is full."

She shook her head and James noticed that her eyes were slightly watery, as if she had been crying. He inwardly groaned. His mother had warned him that some people might be homesick, but James had hoped he wouldn't encounter any of them. He just prayed she lightened up soon. They were on their way to Hogwarts and James wanted everything to be perfect.

Sliding his trunk onto the top shelf, James snuck a glance at the redhead. Her gaze was trained out the window at the passing countryside, her mind clearly elsewhere. With a grunt, James pushed his luggage as far back as it could go and fell back into the seat opposite her with relief.

"Are you a First Year too?" James asked after a moment of silence had passed. The girl sneaked a glance at him and James realized that she was pretty, quite pretty in fact.

The girl nodded. "I am," she said.

"I'm James," he said proudly, as he stuck out his hand, "James _Potter._"

"I'm Lily," she said with a small smile, "Lily Evans." Her hand was warm as she shook his. Lily's fascinated gaze turned towards the people passing outside in the halls as James looked at her quizzically. The Potters were a well-known family, descended from a long line of purebloods. James was used to people recognizing his name wherever he went.

_Strange, _James thought to himself with a sigh as he sank back in his seat. "I don't recognize the name Evans," he prompted. "Where are you from?"

"A small town outside of London," Lily said. "You probably wouldn't know it."

"Oh," James nodded. They fell back into silence.

"I'm from Godric's Hollow," he offered again, hoping that might start a bit of conversation.

"What's that?" she asked politely, looking interested.

James was flabbergasted. "You don't know what Godric's Hollow is?"

Lily laughed albeit nervously. "I'm sorry," she said. "I'm still new at this stuff."

"What do you mean?" James asked, confused.

"I'm the first witch in my family," Lily said as her eyes watered again and she fixed her gaze out the window.

"You're a muggleborn?" James inquired interestedly. He'd never met one before.

"A what?" Lily asked, sounding a little more annoyed this time.

"A muggleborn," James said simply. "Its what wizards call someone who wasn't born from magical blood."

"Oh," she said, looking a little worried at this. "Is that a bad thing?"

"No, not at all," James quickly told her, glad to see she looked a bit more relieved, but inwardly thought she had a long struggle ahead of her. He couldn't imagine heading off to Hogwarts with nothing but a muggle background. It was a scary thought.

"Have you been a wizard your whole life?" Lily asked him cordially.

James nodded. "My parents were both purebloods." She looked confused again and he realized she probably didn't know what that was either.

"What's-?" she began to ask but James cut her off.

"Its really not important," he told her with a reassuring smile. Looking relieved, Lily smiled back.

"I've been reading over all our books," she told him. "I'm hoping to catch up as much as I can."

"I haven't read a thing," James said, suddenly a little worried. Were they supposed to have read their materials already? Term hadn't even started yet.

"But you were born a wizard," Lily pointed out. "You've already got a head start."

"Yeah, I guess you're right," James said to reassure himself. Lily smiled. He rather liked this girl.

Suddenly, the door slid open with a bang. The two acquaintances jumped in unison, turning to face a curly haired boy at the entrance to the compartment. Without so much as a nod to James and Lily, he dragged his black trunk in and heaved it onto a shelf.

"Everywhere else is full," he declared as he took a seat across from James.

James scowled at the invasion of his and Lily's compartment. At least he had asked before barging in. When neither of the two said anything, the boy crossed his arms and offered his own name.

"I'm Sirius."

"James."

"Lily."

Sirius's survey of them both settled on Lily and ignited an annoyance inside James. Sirius had the look of someone who knew he always got what he wanted and by the way he was eyeing Lily, she was next on his list.

"So are you two like boyfriend and girlfriend or something?" Sirius asked casually, looking pointedly at James.

The two flushed red. "No!" they both defended at the same time, catching each other's eyes and looking away embarrassed.

"Just wanted to make sure," Sirius said with a wink in James's direction. James just scowled, thinking that he had seen Lily first and therefore, had all the rights to like her first as well. Sirius didn't notice however, and turned his attention back to Lily, who had been furiously trying to hide the blush that clashed horribly with her hair.

"So what did you say your name was again?" he asked her charmingly, facing her with a dazzling smile.

"Lily Evans," she told him once more, looking a bit uncertain. James wanted to smack his head.

"Ah, I love lilies," Sirius said smoothly, smiling at the redhead. "You remind me of them. A beautiful name for a beautiful girl." He winked.

James wanted to barf. However, it seemed Lily shared his views. She stuck her nose up in the air. "I don't even like lilies," she declared, annoyed.

"Now, now, Lily flower, its impossible not to enjoy a beautiful lily," Sirius said solemnly, though James caught the laughter in his eyes.

"I bet you don't even know what one looks like," Lily challenged him.

"Do too," he said defensively, sticking his own nose in the air.

"I'd be surprised if you could read, let alone educate me on my own name," Lily said crossly as James wanted to laugh. "I find it hard to believe they even let you into Hogwarts."

Sirius looked at her with a solemn face. "It was the good looks that got me through," he whispered confidentially.

Lily only snorted derisively and turned back to the window, crossing her arms with a huff.

"Touchy, touchy," Sirius muttered though a smile still played about his lips. He turned to James. "Girls usually dig me."

Though the arrogance of the statement was evident, James couldn't help but grin back at the curly haired boy in amusement. He was different from anyone James had ever met before and on second inspection, seemed pretty harmless.

"I would recommend starting off with complimenting her appearance next time," James said with a laugh. "Always works for me."

Sirius regarded him amusedly. "You know, that ones always safe. Because if you can't find anything good to say about her physically, you shouldn't be hitting on her anyways," he told James knowingly.

"Pigs," Lily muttered from the window.

"Ah come on," James said with a smile, wanting the redhead to lighten up and have a good time. "Sirius was just having a joke."

"At my expense!" she replied heatedly, still refusing to look at them.

"Flower, don't take it personally," Sirius said, exasperated. "It could have been any girl in your spot and I would've tried to make a move."

"That makes me feel loads better," she told them with a roll of her eyes.

James didn't know whether to smile or apologize. Lily had been nice to him but Sirius really was only having a laugh. At that moment, the redhead looked over and caught James staring at her. For a moment, she looked confused as to why but then seemed to grab ahold of her senses. Glaring, Lily tossed her hair challengingly, as if daring him to keep staring. Stricken at being caught, James could only give her a face back and look away before she noticed the flush creeping up his neck. Lily Evans truly was a conundrum. She had been so unpresuming and kind only a few moments ago but with Sirius's entrance, her personality suddenly became as fiery as her hair.

Sirius was watching James and Lily with a curious look on his face. Upon catching the blush on James's cheeks, his face split into a grin as he waggled his eyebrows suggestively. James scoffed silently at him.

"You just wait," Sirius whispered loudly. "In a couple of years, I'll be attending your wedding."

Lily smacked him on the arm and Sirius looked fakely hurt. James just laughed out loud, earning another glare from the redhead. "You are such arses!" she told them.

"Its Hogwarts," James told her, refusing to let her bothered mood make him loose his excitement on his first day. "We all have a little ego here. If we didn't, we'd be heading off to some small wizarding school in the country."

Lily made a face. "Rather be there than here with you two."

"Oh yeah?" James challenged. "Well maybe we'd rather have you go there too. Then we wouldn't have to deal with you."

"You're the one causing trouble," Lily said scornfully.

"Me?" James exclaimed. "Its him who started it!" He pointed at Sirius who only smirked.

"Calm down, Flower," Sirius said almost lazily. "Poor Jamsie boy didn't mean to offend you, I'm sure. I'm almost certain he's already in love with you."

"What?" James blurted, blushing. "That is so not true!"

"Good thing," Lily retorted with a huff, glaring at James. "Because I would never, ever in a million years even consider going out with you." With that, she turned back towards the window and huddled into a ball, staring out into the countryside.

James's face was still burning with humiliation and anger when Sirius said through the silence a few moments later, "You two _totally _love each other."

Lily made a sound of strangled annoyance while James just gave Sirius a glare. The curly haired boy only shrugged with a grin. Rolling his eyes, James mouthed, "This is all your fault." Sirius scowled and shook his head.

"Didn't mean to offend you, mate," Sirius told him in a slightly lowered voice, glancing at Lily's form dangerously, as if she would explode. "I'm actually not a bad person."

James snorted, not sure whether to be amused or annoyed.

"Come on," Sirius almost whined when James's still didn't respond. "I didn't mean to get your flower mad at you." James glanced at Lily but she pretended like she didn't hear. "I just enjoy matchmaking, that's all."

"Well you're terrible at it," James told him, arms crossed.

"Aye, that I must admit," Sirius said with a mock show of humbleness. "But you can't shame a man for trying his best to make others happy. I only want the best for you lovebirds." Sirius stared at him with fake pleading eyes, his face still radiating laugher.

James rolled his eyes but couldn't help but smile at the boy's mischievous expression. "That's better," said Sirius with a content sigh. "It seems my helpful ways always seem to be rejected."

James snorted. "Yeah because they're more harmful than helpful, I'll say."

Sirius smiled wickedly. "I only try and help," he continued with a fake air of innocence. "Last week, I forced my cousin Bella onto a broom, only hoping to share the joy of quidditch. How was I supposed to know that flying indoors would earn her a broken ankle? If you ask me, it was her own fault for being so stupid as to fall off."

James was silent for a moment before roaring with laughter. Sirius grinned, seemingly encouraged by his positive response. "You know," James said, wiping the tears from his eyes. "You're not half-bad, I suppose."

Sirius shrugged with a smile. "I do what I can."

"Is the story true?" James asked. Sirius crossed his hand over his heart.

"Every last word," he told him solemnly. James laughed again, not even bothered by the one disgusted look Lily threw their way.

"Then I commend you, mate," James slapped Sirius on the shoulder hardily. "The joy of quidditch should be shared in every way it possibly can."

"Is it possible I have met a future teammate?" Sirius asked, eyeing James up.

"I would reckon so," James said, puffing his chest out. "I've played in all the junior leagues. My coaches say I'm a shoe in for the team."

"Not if you have me to beat," Sirius bragged as well, giving James a look. "If we're in the same house, I'd say you wont have a chance."

"Well let's hope it doesn't come to that," James said with a grin, but secretly he hoped that Sirius would indeed be in Gryffindor with him.

Suddenly, the door slid open and a boy who had already switched into his school robes darted through the door. James took in his greasy hair and hooked nose and quickly turned his attention back to Sirius. The curly haired boy had slipped into a bored, lounging position on the seat and was telling some story about his brother and a loaf of bread. James laughed and smiled but noticed how the boy who just entered seemed to know Lily. Was it possible somebody had already laid claim? James shook his head. This greaseball? No way. Shaking the two from his mind, he turned back to Sirius again, still distracted.

"So then I told him that he was a complete arse for trying to get it in the first place, am I right?" Sirius finished. James nodded, though he truly hadn't heard anything about the tale.

For a moment, Sirius looked miffed by James's obvious disinterest but he quickly noticed where his gaze was straying. Taking in the new kid with Lily, Sirius looked back at James with a grin. "Seems someone's already taken your lady," he told him, as James straightened his sliding glasses.

James rolled his eyes. "Impossible," he muttered but Sirius waggled his eyebrows as Lily smiled at the newcomer.

"You'd better be in Slytherin," he heard the black haired boy say. James scowled. _Slytherin? _That's the worst house possible.

"Slytherin?" James asked scornfully, seeing his cue to but in. The new boy sneered at James, who only glared back. Looking back at Sirius for support, the curly haired boy shrugged, as if to say, _what's his problem? _

"Who wants to be in Slytherin?" James continued, trying to force his gaze away from Lily. "I think I'd leave wouldn't you?"

James cocked his head at Sirius for support but his new friend had suddenly grown very solemn as he looked at James with unreadable eyes. "My whole family's been in Slytherin."

James felt his heart sink. Sirius's whole family had been in the evilest house at Hogwarts? The Potters had always been Gryffindors, no questions asked. Anyone who was not them…well, was an enemy. "Blimey," he said incredulously to Sirius, "and I thought you seemed all right!"

He was relieved to see Sirius grin after a moment's consideration. "Maybe I'll break the tradition," he smirked with a mischievous look in his eyes. "Where are you heading, if you've got the choice?"

James smiled and pretended to lift an invisible sword in front of him. "'Gryffindor, where the brave dwell at heart!'" Sirius laughed, though more at James's sword wielding impression than his house choice. James smiled back. "Like my dad."

Suddenly, James remembered that Lily and the strange boy were still in the compartment as the newcomer made a scoffing sound. With a scowl, James asked, "Got a problem with that?"

The boy sneered at him as Lily sent James a glare from behind her friend's back. "No," the boy disparaged, "If you'd rather be brawny than brainy-."

Sirius cut him off. "Where're you hoping to go, seeing as you're neither?"

James couldn't help but roar with laughter as Sirius gave him a smirk. Maybe his new friend really was on his side. Then Lily sat up and James's heart sank as he noticed her look of furious distaste. If she didn't hate them before, she definitely did now.

"Come on, Severus, lets find another compartment," she said with a huff, glaring at both James and Sirius individually before striding past. The two boys made eye contact at the same time. _Severus? _their glances seemed to ask.

Lily shot them a glare on the way out and Sirius only mocked her with a faux frightened look. "Ooooo…."

The boy identified as Severus followed the redhead with a smug look on his face. James stuck out a leg in hopes that he'd trip but the boy merely sneered and jumped over it.

"See ya, Snivellus!" Sirius called after them, sticking out a tongue at their backs. As the compartment door slid shut behind the two, Sirius sighed and gave James a hard look.

"Seems you've got competition, mate," he said as James slid down in his seat.

"Of course I do," he sighed moodily. "Of course she's already taken. Just my luck."

"Ah, cheer up," Sirius said. "If she's with that slimeball, its most likely she hasn't met many quality men yet. In time, she'll be begging for you to date her."

James smiled ruefully. "I doubt it."

Sirius shrugged and lay down in his seat. "Well, if she doesn't, then just go around and date everyone she knows until she just has to say yes out of jealousy."

James snorted but it did make him smile. "Yeah that'll work. Probably have as much success as asking her out constantly would."

"Genius," Sirius said with a grin. "See, your full of lady-wooing ideas. You just have to use your imagination."

"Well, I'll get back to you on that one," James told him though he did feel a little cheered.

"I'm telling you, mate," Sirius continued. "I'll be at your wedding someday. And if that's not the case, it'll only because I went and married her myself."

James forced a laugh but he couldn't tell if the other boy was joking or not. They fell into a pause where Sirius played with a frayed seat cushion as James stared thoughtfully out the window.

"You know…" James said, looking at Sirius uncomfortably. "I'm sorry about what I said concerning Slytherin House."

"Nah," Sirius said, still pulling at the thread. "Its cool. I don't do everything my family does."

"Good," James grinned, "Because I'd much rather have you in Gryffindor with me."

"Who knows, Jamsie boy? We could both end up Hufflepuffs for that matter." The two boys laughed together. As James looked over at his new friend, he couldn't help but feel that this school year was already taking a turn for the better. Who cared about Lily Evans, anyways?

"You know," James told Sirius with a grin. "I have a feeling that we're going to be great friends."

* * *

><p>The Great Hall shone with the light of a thousand candles as the First Years followed McGonagall through the open doors. It was everything James had thought it would be. The four long tables, the giant torches, the levitating candles. It was all how his dad had described it.<p>

"Look at the gold plates!" James heard a girl in front of him exclaim. "And the night sky!" Sirius and James grinned at each other as they looked upwards. There really was incredible magic at work here in Hogwarts.

"First years, line up after me," McGonagall's voice rung through the hall. James rubbed his sweating palms together. Here it was. The sorting. He just _had_ to be in Gryffindor. He _had _to.

"Good luck, mate," Sirius whispered as the hall grew quiet.

"To you, too," James whispered back. A few people over from Sirius he saw Lily from the train standing next to that git, Severus. She looked nauseous.

"Abernathy, John," McGonagall's voice rang out. A small boy with a large amount of freckles picked his way gingerly through the crowd of children. Taking the steps one at a time, he regarded McGonagall and the hat in her hands with a terrified expression before finally sitting down on the stool.

"Oh no," Sirius suddenly whispered next to him. James looked over, confused to see that he looked just as nauseous as Lily did.

"What's wrong?" James asked him.

"They're going in alphabetical order," Sirius whispered.

"RAVENCLAW!" The Sorting Hat bellowed as John Abernathy hopped off the steps looking quite relieved.

"Yeah, so?" James asked quizzically as loud cheers from the Ravenclaw table erupted in the hall. Some of the First Years clapped uncertainly too. His gaze sliding away from Sirius, James noticed Lily whispering in Severus's ear. A flash of jealously slid through him.

"That means-," Sirius started to say.

"Black, Sirius!" McGonagall interjected.

Sirius tried to brush the petrified look off his face. "Wish me luck, mate," he whispered to James. But James didn't hear him. He only heard one name. Black.

His father had warned him of Orion and Walburga Black's son. A Slytherin for sure, had been his exact comment. Suddenly everything Sirius had said on the train made sense. _My whole family's been in Slytherin. _James felt cold all over as the curly haired boy made his way to the stool.

Sirius hadn't been what he had expected when he thought of "Black". In the Wizarding World, the Blacks were very well known for being pureblood elitists. Not only did they hate anything beneath their blood status, but also hated anyone who didn't appreciate what they had. The Potters were exactly what they despised. Blood traitors.

Sirius gave McGonagall a grin as the hat slid over his head. Looking to his left, James noticed that the Slytherin table had grown very intensely quiet. They knew they were about to gain a new member. James wanted to groan. This wasn't fair! First Lily, now Sirius? There were certain families in the Wizarding World that just didn't mingle and Black and Potter were at the top of the list.

The hall was growing rowdier as the hat remained silent. James chewed his lip. What could it possibly be thinking? Could the Sorting Hat actually be considering sorting Sirius somewhere different? _Not Slytherin, not Slytherin, _James prayed in his mind. Let Sirius be different.

Under the cap, Sirius eye's were closed, his whole body stiff, almost as if he were…listening? James glanced around as students shifted and looked at each other nervously. Maybe there had been a malfunction. Maybe it was discovered that Sirius really wasn't a wizard. James hoped that wasn't it. Even if he was a Black, Sirius was the only friend he had so far. The Potters and Blacks had never been friends before, but that didn't mean they still couldn't be. _Not Slytherin, not Slytherin_.

"GRYFFINDOR!" the hat suddenly screeched.

James's eyes shot open. With a nervous smile, Sirius threw the hat off his head to a surprised McGonagall and jumped off the stool. A smattering of confused applause rang throughout the hall as others recognized the name. Never before had a Black not been in Slytherin. Sirius, however, ignored the apprehensive applause from Gryffindor and gave James thumbs up through the crowd. James grinned back as the curly haired boy slipped into the large table but secretly wondered if Sirius would still be his friend once he heard his name.

As the Sorting continued, the group of students began to thin out. To James's right, Lily Evans looked like she was having a panic attack. Somewhere in his mind, James knew he should probably just leave her alone but he couldn't help it.

"Hey Evans," James whispered to her, earning a glare from the redhead. "Where are you rooting for?"

Severus shot daggers in James's direction but he ignored the greaseball. "Anywhere where you're not," Lily whispered back.

"Well, that'll be difficult considering you go first," he told her as if speaking to a child. The thought seemed to make Lily turn green again but she refused to let James bug her. Turning on her heel, Lily fixed her gaze towards the stool, refusing to meet anyone else's stares.

"Evans, Lily," the Hat called out. James looked over at the girl in question. Her gaze had stiffened as Severus whispered, "Good luck."

Lily walked slowly up to where McGonagall stood with the Sorting Hat. Sitting down on the stool, she shot Severus a nervous glance before the hat sank over her eyes.

"GRYFFINDOR!" the hat shouted suddenly as McGonagall had barely let go. Next to James, he heard Severus groan. The table decked in red and gold roared their approval as Lily hopped off the stool and gave Severus a sad smile.

James watched triumphantly as Sirius moved to make room for the redhead but Lily, recognizing him, stuck up her nose and moved farther down the table, causing some of the older kids to laugh. Sirius found James's gaze in the crowd and shrugged. James only grinned, momentarily forgetting what Sirius's face would be once he heard his name.

Now the real excitement began. Potter was still towards the end of the alphabet and names were floating by in a hurry. "Hughes, Derik" went to Ravenclaw. "Jordan, Marjorie," to Slytherin. _Come on, hurry up, _James thought as the tables erupted into cheers over and over again. He just had to be in Gryffindor. He had to.

"Longbottom, Frank," took almost as long as Sirius did but was finally sorted into Gryffindor. "Lupin, Remus," followed closely, joining Frank, Sirius, and Lily at the Gryffindor table.

"McDonald, Mary" and "McKinnon, Marlene" were both sorted into Gryffindor as well, leaving the other tables shooting annoyed glances at the cheering red and gold. James felt a little more panicky. How many people were allowed into Gryffindor each year? The spots seemed to be going faster now. Would there be room for him? Maybe Sirius had surprised everyone by being taken out of Slytherin and James would have to go in his place. James shook the idea from his head. He was being stupid.

"Olson, Claire," went to Hufflepuff and James wiped his palms against his robes.

"Pettigrew, Peter" was a scrawny, little boy who scampered up the steps and spent quite a while under the hat too._ I'm next, _James thought as he loosened his collar. Looking over at Sirius, the other boy grinned as if to be reassuring.

"GRYFFINDOR!" the hat hollered as Peter, looking relieved, flew off the stool and towards the cheering table. He tripped and the hall rang with laughter as what James assumed was a prefect got up and helped Peter to his feet. At least his sorting couldn't go that bad, James reassured himself.

McGonagall cleared her throat in disapproval as the hall of students slowly quieted under her stern gaze. Giving one last hardened look at the Slytherin table, which was particularly rowdy with Peter's fall, McGonagall turned her face back to the list in her hands and said, "Potter, James."

Refusing his first instinct to glance over at Sirius, James gulped and made his way up the steps as countless others had before him. McGonagall did not smile as James sat down and faced the sea of students before him. There were so many faces just staring at him expectantly as James willed himself not to cringe. The Sorting Hat sank down over James's eyes as the boy nervously slid his glasses up his nose.

"Hmm…not too difficult now, are you?" a voice suddenly spoke.

James jumped a little. "Yes, yes," it continued. "You're a smart one, you are. You could do very well in Ravenclaw, I suppose."

With a chill, James realized the hat was _speaking _to him. "You could benefit in Hufflepuff as well, I can tell. With your notions about justice and loyalty. Hmm…even Slytherin could use a resourceful young wizard like yourself. Hmm…."

James closed his eyes in dismay. He didn't want to be in those other houses. "Hmm…" the hat continued. James pictured Sirius and Lily in his head, sitting at Gryffindor with the rest of the House. "Yes, you could do well… Hmm… but I think that your heart lies somewhere else. You want brave deeds to your name. And your loyalty would be put to good use there as well. Hmm… I think… GRYFFINDOR!"

The hat flew off his head and back into McGonagall's hand as James grinned in relief and stepped off the stool. He was in Gryffindor! His father would be so proud. The table to his farthest left erupted into deafening cheers as James resisted from running to join them.

"Welcome to Gryffindor," James saw a girl with blonde hair greet him. He assumed she must be a prefect. James grinned and walked to join the other first-years.

Plopping himself beside Sirius's curly hair, James had almost forgotten until that moment the fact that his newest friend was a Black. Sirius was oddly reserved as the Sorting continued on and other Gryffindors slapped James on the back in welcome. Looking across the table, James noticed that Lily had sat down by Lupin, Remus and McKinnon, Marlene. When she glanced over at him, her green gaze was cold and challenging but James only smiled and winked at her. Rolling her eyes, she turned her eyes back up to the front.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Sirius whispered over his shoulder as "Radick, Emma" was sorted into Hufflepuff.

Everything came back to James in a rush. Shrugging, he whispered back, "I didn't think it'd matter."

Sirius was silent for a moment as the Hufflepuff table cheered for their latest First Year. "It doesn't," he whispered back as they both watched McGonagall call "Snape, Severus".

"It doesn't what?" James whispered back, distracted as Lily's gaze trained on her friend.

"It doesn't matter," Sirius said softly. "That I'm a Black and you're a Potter. I figure, we're both Gryffindors either way."

James smiled. "I agree completely."

"SLYTHERIN!" the hat hollered as Snape stepped off the stool looking almost dismayed. James watched as Lily looked crestfallen and her new friend Marlene patted her on the back.

"Well, congratulations, Jamsie boy," Sirius said, grinning now. "Looks like you just made some headway in this competition."

"I don't know, Sirius," James said, watching Lily glare at him as though Novellus's sorting was somehow his fault. "I think I still have a long ways to go."

* * *

><p>"First Years this way!" the blond prefect and her brown haired male counterpart yelled, motioning towards the gaggle of new students. "Over here!"<p>

James followed Sirius's bobbing head as they all shuffled closer to hear what the older students were saying. "If you'll follow me, please, I will lead you to the Common Room. Pay attention or you may forget the way!"

"Fat chance of that happening," Sirius scoffed to James and Remus, the sickly looking boy who James had talked to during the feast. "I mean, someone would always be there to point the way, right?"

James laughed but made a mental note of his surroundings as they trailed out of the hall and up some staircases. Lily was right in front of him, staring around in wonder at the moving pictures. He almost forgot that she was muggleborn until this moment. "Hey, Evans," James suddenly called, slipping away from Sirius and Remus and towards the redhead. "Evans, wait up!"

Lily rolled her eyes upon sight of him. "What do you want, Potter?" she asked angrily as they dashed up some steps.

"Just to talk," James said with what he hoped was a winning grin.

"Well I don't want to talk to you," Lily told him through gritted teeth.

James scoffed. "Is this because Snivellus got sorted into Slytherin and you got into Gryffindor?"

"Its Severus," she corrected, her eyes narrowing.

"Whatever," James said casually, trying not to focus on the greasy haired boy.

"And as if I'd actually think you could influence sorting," she continued, flipping her red hair over her shoulder. "You and Black may think you're the greatest people to walk the earth but you're not. You're just two idiots."

"Are not," James defended, crossing his arms. "What do you have against me? It's our first day and you already hate me?"

Underneath the staircase suddenly lurched into motion. The other First Years clung to the railings as it shifted from one landing to the next. Lily wobbled, her hands flying into the air as her weight shifted beneath her. Her hands clutched at James's shoulders in an attempt to stay grounded as he lurched forward into her. Almost on instinct, James reached out and wrapped his arms around her waist, steadying her with him. Lily looked up at him with wide green eyes and James felt his heartbeat suddenly accelerate to full speed. His face split into a grin as she leaned in…and then slapped him across the face.

"Let me go," she exclaimed, pushing herself out of his arms and looking very red. "I can handle myself, you know!"

James rubbed his cheek in anger and pain. "Yeah, you're very much welcome! See what I mean? I just saved you from humiliation and you continue to hate me for it!"

"Why shouldn't I hate you upon sight when you didn't bother getting to know Severus before you insulted him," Lily demanded, loud enough to draw a few strange looks from their fellow First Years.

"Keep it down, will you," James muttered, attempting to wave down her voice as the staircase grinded to a halt.

Lily snorted. "Afraid for others to hear people challenge you?" she asked snidely. "And here to think I thought you were a Gryffindor."

"I'm not afraid of anything!" James declared indignantly.

"Then you're a fool!" Lily whirled on him with daggers in her eyes. "You're an arrogant fool, James Potter and I hope I never have to speak to you again!" And with that, Lily Evans stomped off to the head of the line.

"Tough luck, mate." Sirius's hand clamped down on James's shoulder as he came up from behind. James shrugged it off with annoyance, glaring at Lily's back. "Here I thought she was going to snog you right in the middle of the staircase."

"Don't know what her problem is," James muttered as they hopped up some steps.

"Well, if it doesn't work out with Flower, let me know," Sirius laughed, watching Lily appreciatively from behind and igniting the same jealousy James had felt on the train earlier. "I would love to try my hand at taming that fire."

James only glared at Sirius as they followed the prefects to a portrait of a giant Fat Lady. "Password?" her slow voice rung out through the hall.

The blond girl looked around and made sure only Gryffindors were in the vicinity. "Brackenus Mimble," she declared.

"Enter." The Fat Lady bowed her head and her frame swung open, revealing an entrance to a cozy room filled with assorted chairs and couches. A roaring fire stood in one corner while wizard chess played itself by the window.

"Wow," James murmured to himself, looking around in delight.

Sirius gazed around next to him as well, but hummed a different tune. "I'll bet I'm the first Black to ever set foot in this room," he said softly.

James didn't know what to say. "Consider it an honor," he decided on and Sirius smiled at his words.

"As you head on up to your dormitories, you'll notice your luggage has already been brought up," the prefects instructed as children filtered past them, including Lily. "If you have any questions, we'll be right down in the common room."

"Lets go see our dorm," Sirius beckoned, pushing a few other people out of the way as he raced James up the steps. Laughing, the two boys slammed into a door labeled _FIRST YEARS _and threw themselves into the room.

"Welcome home," James said cheerily to anyone as the other boys followed behind them. Taking a flying leap, he landed on his bed with a big plop and saw with pleasure that Sirius's bed was right by him.

"Surprised they didn't take my stuff to the wrong common room," Sirius laughed as he dumped a large number of Slytherin colored items onto his bed. "Guess these won't be of much use anymore."

James grinned as Sirius shoved all of it into his bedside drawer and lay down on the mattress. "So comfy," he murmured as he buried his face in the pillow. The other boys were making similar exclamations of delight as they pulled out their pajamas from their trunks and climbed into bed with happy yawns.

"James?" Sirius's voice drifted from James's left. Rolling to face him, James nodded sleepily.

"I'm glad we're friends," Sirius said tentatively. "We are friends, aren't we?"

"Yes," James agreed, attempting to stifle a yawn. Sirius smiled.

"But—," James suddenly looked at his friend seriously, the way Sirius's looked at Lily coming into his mind again. "We can only stay friends on one condition."

"What is it?" Sirius asked, puzzled.

"Promise me you'll stay away from Lily Evans."

Sirius looked as if to be in deep thought for a moment. Then with a sigh, he grinned. "Deal. If she means that much to you, I guess I can keep my paws off." He shot James a smirk. "That is, if she cant keep hers off of me. I'm very high in demand."

James smiled sleepily as he began to pull on his pajamas. "Whatever you say." Suddenly, his mind registered the other part of the statement. "And Lily Evans does not mean that much to me!"

"Face it, Jamsie boy," Sirius said happily as slid on his pajamas and hopped back onto the bed. "You're in love with her already."

James's face was burning. "Not true," he mumbled as the boy they had identified as Remus shut off the lights.

"No use trying to deny it," Sirius told him as he rolled over, signaling the end of their conversation, "From the moment you first laid eyes on her, you haven't been able to tear them away." James made a scoffing sound as Sirius yawned. "I told you, James. Give it a few years and I'll be the best man at your wedding."

**WHAT'D YOU THINK? TOO MUCH SIRIUS? I DON'T WANT ALL THE CHAPTERS TO BE SUPER FLUFFY AND ROMANTIC. LILY AND JAMES WERENT GOING TO GO AND SNOG ON THEIR FIRST DAY OF MEETING. I REALLY WANTED TO PORTRAY A REALISTIC FIRST DAY IN JAMES'S LIFE AT HOGWARTS, INCLUDING HIS FIRST RUN INS WITH INFAMOUS LILY EVANS. SO DID IT HIT THE MARK? I PROMISE THE NEXT ONE WILL BE MORE ROMANTIC AGAIN! LOVE YOU ALL!**

**PLEASE REVIEW!**


	4. Lily Forgave James

**HEY I'M BACK! I WORKED ON THIS ONE FOR AWHILE AND AM PROBABLY THE MOST EXCITED ABOUT THIS INSTALLEMENT. I REALLY WANTED IT TO BE PERFECT FOR EVERYONE! I THINK I GOT IT AS CLOSE AS I COULD. LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK! THANKS FOR READING!**

"_I'm not one of them, Sev," Lily sighed, annoyed. "Its you whose changed. Becoming more like those bloody pricks Mulciber and Avery. Since when did I have to contend for your attention with them?"_

"_Since Potter and Black became your new best friends," Sev told her bitterly, glaring at James._

"_They're not-," Lily tried to defend._

"_Save it, Lily," Snape spat, turning. "You proved everything tonight, when you took his side over mine."_

**THE FIRST TIME…Lily forgave James.**

It was the time of night in the Gryffindor Common Room when most Fifth Years closed their books, packed up their bags and headed up to their dorms for a night of exhausted sleep, only to get up and do it all again in the morning. It was the year of their O.W.L.S. and no amount of work seemed to slow the ever-growing pile of essays and exams that were evident on the face of every Fifth Year. It was only March but the workload was already insurmountable. The professors, however, were seemingly unmoved by the dark circles under every eye and the yawns in every classroom. Hardly a night passed where a huddle of Fifth Years couldn't be seen in the Common Room or the library, looks of determination on their faces as they practically pressed their noses to their books.

In Lily's opinion, the only amusement to be gained from the whole ordeal was the terrified looks on the faces of Fourth Years every time someone broke down in tears. Most of the younger students had begun avoiding Gryffindor tower, opting for the Great Hall or the lake as the day of the exams grew ever closer. With a sigh, Lily allowed her gaze to slip from _Achievements in Charming _and glance around the almost empty Common Room with exhaustion. Flitwick had assigned them a roll of parchment on Cheering Charms for tomorrow, pointedly ignoring the groans that rose from both Hufflepuff and Gryffindor alike as his voice squeaked out the directions.

"Well, I think that's it for tonight." Frank Longbottom closed his book opposite her with a grimace. "Merlin knows I have yet to finish Slughorn's essay and Flitwick's assignment on Cheering Charms but I cant take one more word."

Lily managed a weak smile. "I finished the Potions essay. It's not too bad. You could probably finish it in Transfiguration tomorrow if you look over mine at breakfast."

"And risk McGonagall giving me a week's worth of detention?" Frank swept his books and quills into an empty satchel and attempted a chuckle. "That'll put me even farther behind. Nah, I think I'll just take the late assignment." He glanced at his watch and gave a low whistle. "11:20. Time for me to get to bed."

Lily sighed as Frank heaved his bulging bag over his shoulder and cringed under the weight. "Blimey, if the work doesn't kill me, the books sure will," he attempted to joke as he trotted towards the staircase. "You coming up yet?"

"Not yet," Lily told him, eyeing the books in front of her with distaste. "I still haven't finished Defense Against the Dark Arts. And don't forget Transfiguration."

Frank gave her a disapproving look. "Lily, you're going to run yourself ragged if you keep doing this."

"What?" she insisted. "I'm doing fine. Plus, these essays aren't going to write themselves. Someone needs to do them."

"What you need is sleep," Frank told her gently. "You're the first person up in the morning and the last one to bed at night. Even Alice is getting worried about you."

"Tell Alice that she has far too much to worry about to stick me in there too," Lily said kindly. "I know how far I can be pushed."

"Okay," Frank said uncertainly, glancing towards the stairwell. "Just…be careful, alright?"

Lily smiled. "Don't worry about me, Frank. I'll be fine."

"If you say so," he said with a yawn, rubbing his eyes with his free hand. "But if you end up in the Hospital Wing due to exhaustion, I hope you know that I expect to be completely free of blame."

"Of course," she chuckled, waving him off. "Go get your sleep. Merlin knows you have a girlfriend to worry about on top of this."

Frank managed to laugh. "Alright then. Goodnight Lils. Don't stay up too much longer."

"I wont," she told his retreating back. As he vanished from sight, she listened with envy as his footsteps made their way to the top of the tower, where a warm bed and pajamas were probably waiting. What she wouldn't give to have the same right now. With a groan, Lily turned back to her schoolwork and put her face in her hands.

Frank usually abandoned her and Remus at this time of night. The Marauder would usually make it about twenty minutes more before he too, gave into sleep and plodded up to bed. Remus wasn't here tonight though. Outside, the full moon shone in the sky and somewhere on the ground, a werewolf waited listlessly for the night to end. When he had revealed his secret in December, Lily hadn't felt anything but pity for the kind boy who accompanied her on so many prefect rounds. On nights like these, she wondered how Remus ever managed to keep up in school. She supposed Black and Potter had something to do with it. Though she'd never tell them, she secretly thought what they did for their friend was the greatest thing she'd ever hear.

_Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. _The grandfather clock in the corner beat time to her misery as she attempted to focus on her work. Suppressing a groan, she pulled her Charms book closer to her and attempted to skim over the words. "_Cheering Charms are most effective when the recipient is already in a positive mood. This positive mood has already laid a basis for the spell and provides for less exertion on the part of the charm giver. A recipient with a negative mood may require two or three repetitions of the charm in order to receive maximum effectiveness." Tick. Tock. Tick Tock. _Rubbing her eyes, Lily reached for her quill and attempted to scratch down keynotes. _Positive mood is best,_ she wrote slowly. _Tick. Tock. _

"_When experiencing difficulty with a Cheering Charm, maintaining a positive outlook is also key. Aligning itself with the difficult Patronus Charm, Cheering Charms typically require a happy thought before the casting. Though the charm can be used without, the effectiveness is diminished." Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. _Lily looked at the clock. 11:27. Frank only left only five minutes earlier and yet it already felt like an hour had passed. With a sigh, she gazed at the fire. If Remus had been here he would have found some way to keep her attention.

_Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. _Lily closed her eyes and put her head in her hands. _Focus, Lily, _she instructed herself. _You can do this. Only one more day until the weekend. _With a heavy sigh, she forced her eyes open a slit and glared at her Charms book. All the while the clock continued to sing. _Tick. Tock. _It just wasn't fair that they had this much homework. O.W.L.S couldn't possibly be a matter of life or death. Frank had been right. She really was pushing herself to a point of exhaustion. Maybe one day she just wouldn't be able to wake up at all. She smiled sleepily as her eyes fluttered shut. It sounded nice. _Tick. Tock. Tick Tock. Tick._

BOOM! Lily's eyes shot open. The portrait hole had slammed open and two dark figures came hurtling into the room, voices raised. Stumbling up from her seat, Lily scrambled to find her wand. _Where was it? _The two students were shouting on the other side of the Common Room, their words flying so fast and furious that Lily couldn't even catch what they were saying.Rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, she snatched her wand from the other side of the table and pointed it towards the figures.

"Stop where you are! I am a prefect," she demanded, attempting to sound fearsome. Neither of the figures bothered to listen. Instead, the one with glasses slammed the other against the wall. Glasses?

"Potter?" she asked confused. Looking at the other, she saw it was Sirius. What were they possibly doing? "What are you-?" she started to ask, but suddenly she realized something was wrong. The first boy didn't look like James. Well….he _looked _like James. But his face was wrong. What was usually filled with amusement and laughter had been replaced with an anger Lily had never seen before.

"How could you?" The voice belonged to a furious James Potter. "Are you mental?"

"It was a joke!" Sirius defended, putting his hands up as best as he could against the wall. _James and Sirius fighting_? Nobody had ever seen the two raise even a finger against the other. It was common thought that absolutely nothing could come between them. Ever. The thought of something that could left Lily feeling cold.

"A joke? He could die!" James yelled. Lily started, lowering her wand. Who could die? What were they talking about! She must still be asleep.

"Well the git deserves it," Sirius shouted. "Poking his nose in Mooney's business all the time! Maybe it will show him to stop getting in the way of other people!" Lily's heart went to her mouth as her mind kicked into overdrive.

"Nobody deserves that, you prick!" James spat. "Snape may be horrid but he's not worth it!"

_Severus? And Lupin? What did this have to do with-? _It was as if everything fell together at once. In horror, she glanced at the window for confirmation. The full moon stared back. Stifling the scream she felt inside her, she whirled back in time to see James aim a punch at Sirius's nose. Blood spattered everywhere as Sirius kicked at James's stomach, causing his friend to release him.

"Just stay out of it!" Sirius attempted to yell through his thickly bleeding nose.

"And let them both be killed?" James's voice had ridden up an octave. He shoved himself off the floor. "I'm going after him. Grab the cloak."

"What if I don't want to?" Sirius said sullenly.

"Then maybe I'll be killed too!" James yelled, putting a finger in Sirius's chest.

Sirius only spat blood at James's feet and stalked off up the stairs. James roared in frustration and hit the back of the armchairs with one of his hands, sending it rocking perilously close to the fire. He had the look of a madman as the ticking of the clock droned on. Lily remained frozen in shock. Sirius couldn't have meant what he said, could he? She knew Sev was always prying into the business of the Marauders, especially where Remus's monthly visits were concerned, but Lily had done her best to dissuade him it was nothing. Could he really be stupid enough to follow Sirius's word out onto the grounds this late at night?

"Lily?" James's strangled voice rang out to her from the portrait hole. She jumped, having been lost in her own musings. "What are you doing awake?"

James looked so terrible that Lily almost lied about having heard anything. His hands were clenched and his shirt was splattered with the blood from Sirius's nose. And his eyes…. They were hardly recognizable. The eyes that stared back at her did not belong to James Potter. These eyes were guilty and anxious and even, dare she name it, _frightened. _

"James, what's going on?" Lily whispered, as the sound of a slamming door sounded from the boy's dormitory. James only flinched, seemingly not having heard her words. "James?"

He ran a hair through his hair and shook his head, mumbling under his breath. The firelight danced around the room, shrouding his face in shadow and somehow making the familiar surroundings that much more menacing. "I'm so sorry," he whispered, walking over to her.

"What's happening?" Lily demanded, afraid she already knew the answer. Lowering her voice once more, she whispered fearfully, "What went wrong?"

James only shook his head, his eyes unfocused and distracted. "Lily, I am so, so sorry. Please." He looked away. "I'm so sorry."

"James, what-."

His hand reached out and attached to hers in a vice like grip, pulling her close to him. Lily's heart was racing. Something was wrong. James Potter was never scared. He always knew exactly what to do. If James was scared, then it only meant one thing. Snape was headed right into a werewolf's clutches.

"Lily?" he whispered hoarsely, his eyes searching aimlessly for something they couldn't find. "Please forgive me. Please. I beg you. Please forgive me."

"What do you-?" But Lily was cut off by James's lips upon her own. He had jerked her forward into him, his mouth connecting hungrily with hers, as if it was the last thing he would ever taste. Lily pushed against his chest in anger.

"Let me go!" she exclaimed as he broke away, as if startled from her shove. Lily glared at him but still unable to ignore the ice that had settled in the pit of her stomach. James only looked at her once more with hazy unfocused eyes.

_Arrrroooooooooooo. _Lily and James jumped apart in shock, each feeling the goose bumps as the bloodcurdling howl crawled up their spines. The call surrounded them, slipping through the stones of Hogwarts and right into their very minds. James went rigid, his face black.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered once more, looking down at Lily somberly. Then with a swish of his unkempt robe, James had gone, disappearing into the black night once more.

Lily touched her lips, eyes wide open. His sudden kiss had distracted her from the hell she had just walked into but Lupin's howl had brought her back once more. _Sev. _He was in trouble! And James! What was he thinking? That he was just going to walk out there and come back unscathed?

"What are you doing here?" The angry voice that emerged from the stairwell pissed Lily off more than usual. Whirling, she saw Sirius standing with a wand and a strange looking cloak in his hands. He was glaring at her menacingly, a look very much enforced by the blood still dripping from his nose.

"I was here the whole time, you prat," Lily spat angrily, her heart still pounding. James could be down the first two staircases by now. Severus could already be dead.

Upon hearing her response, Sirius's face changed from intimidating to anxious. "Well, where's James?" he asked, looking around as if to see if he were hiding behind an armchair.

"He went after Severus," Lily told him, shoving her things hurriedly in her bag and wrapping her cloak around her shoulders. "Seems you took too long."

"I didn't think he'd actually do it!" Sirius looked dazed, his eyes starting to bear the same unfocused stare that James had worn.

"Well I couldn't believe you'd actually tell Severus to follow Remus!" Lily pointed a finger at Sirius's chest. "Someone could get killed tonight, you bloody prat, and it will all be your fault!"

The blood drained from Sirius's face as he shook his head. "I didn't think…. It was just…. I'm sorry."

"Sorry wont be good enough if my best friend is dead," she spat, snatching her wand from the table and heading towards the portrait hole.

"Wait!" Sirius called after her. "Where are you going?"

"After them," she replied simply, barely pausing to glance back at Sirius. "Are you coming?"

"You cant go." Sirius bounded from the base of the staircase to stand in front of her. "You don't know what its like out there."

"Get out of my way, Black," Lily said fiercely, trying to shove the Beater out of her way. "I don't care what its like. I just want to get my friends back safely."

"Then let me go," Sirius insisted, backing towards the portrait hole. "I know what I'm doing."

Lily stomped her foot impatiently. "We really don't have time to-." She was cut off once more by the same howl that had stopped James in his tracks. _ARRROOOOOOO. _

It was louder this time and Lily felt her heart skip a beat. "We got to go!" she exclaimed, rushing forward. "There's no time to waste!"

Sirius looked sick but he followed her past the Fat Lady without complaint and into the dark hallways of Hogwarts. "This way," he whispered, pulling open a portrait of a dozing wizard and revealing a small passageway. Any other time Lily would've stopped to question how he knew of its existence but tonight wasn't any other time. Her blood was pounding in her head as the two Gryffindor's footsteps echoed off the stone floors. Thank Merlin Lily always carried her Prefects badge. Then even Filch couldn't stop them.

Huffing, Lily tore down a flight of stairs, Sirius on her heels. "How do we get out of the school?" she panted, swinging around a railing. "The big doors are locked every night."

"Not when its Moony's time of month," Sirius responded, slightly less winded as he pointed in the direction they should take. "Dumbledore leaves them open in case Madam Pomfrey or another professor should need to get out and help him."

"That's so dangerous!" Lily exclaimed as they whirled past door after door. "What if a student were to wander outside?"

"Sucks for them," Sirius grunted as the doors came into view. The pounding of their feet within the sleeping castle came to a halt as they slid to a stop. Sirius pulled out his wand and muttered some words, pulling the doors open of their own accord.

Lily leaned and put her hands on her knees, eagerly drawing for breath. Sirius was on the Quidditch team and used to strenuous exercise, but Lily…not so much. "Alright, what do we do now?" she panted.

"I don't know, Lily," Sirius told her as they stumbled out onto the grounds. "Its against Marauder co—."

"I don't care," she told him angrily, waving her wand in his face. "Swear to Merlin, Sirius, if our best friends die tonight, I will kill you."

The boy gulped and nodded, motioning towards the right of Hagrid's hut. "Lets go," he whispered grimly, setting off into the night.

"Lumos," Lily muttered, jogging after him. It was cool outside and the moon shone brightly from above. If the circumstances had been any different, Lily would've considered tonight charming, with the luminous stars set against a clear blue sky. But right now, that couldn't be farther from her mind.

"Hurry!" Sirius's voice trailed back as he broke into a run.

"What is it?" Lily called, hating how frightened her voice sounded.

"The Whomping Willow," Sirius yelled. "It's already moving. It means they're down there!"

"What do you mean?" But Lily didn't need Sirius's explanation as she came into sight of the newly planted tree. The usually still branches of the Whomping Willow were slicing through the air faster than Lily could track. The creaking of the trunk as the tree bent through the air echoed through the quiet grounds. Something had definitely disturbed it.

For a moment, the two just stood there, gazing at the tree in horror. Lily wanted to ask if that's where he had told Severus to go, if that was where not Remus, but a werewolf lurked, but the questions froze on the tip of her tongue.

"Si-Sirius," a voice suddenly stuttered out of the darkness.

"Who goes there?" Lily whipped around, waving her wand about in alarm.

"Calm down," Sirius whispered sharply. "Its just Wormtail."

"Peter?" Lily asked. The rather pudgy boy crept out of the darkness, sniffling in fright and staring at Lily in horror.

"What went wrong, Padfoot?" he whimpered, clutching Sirius's cloak in his hand. Sirius brushed him away.

"Do you know for certain James is down there?" Sirius asked harshly.

"Oh I don't know… I can't know for sure…" Peter sounded distressed.

"Well think harder," Sirius threatened, grabbing the other boy's arm tightly.

"Alright! Alright!" Peter squirmed. "I remember Remus heading into the tunnel. I waited for awhile, gnawing on some food I had brought amongst the trees, knowing it wouldn't be till midnight that you and James showed up. Then, sooner than I expected, I saw a boy head towards the tree and freeze the branches. I thought something was strange but I didn't know what to do and I didn't want to desert my post because what if you came and I wasn't here or what if that was you-."

"Woah, slow down Pete," Sirius said seriously, still staring at the tree with a glazed expression. Lily, however, didn't want to listen to Peter's story. It made no sense. What tunnel was he talking about? All Lily wanted to do was run at the tree and make it give her Remus and James and Sev back from…well, wherever they went.

"Well then James, well I knew it was James because of the glasses, came bounding after the figure a few moments later," Peter continued, slower. "He was yelling and shouting and dove for the tunnel, not bothering to immobilize the tree. I got up at that point only to see you two arrive a few moments later."

"Merlin's beard…" Sirius murmured. Looking down, Lily noticed his hands were trembling.

Suddenly a strangled shout rang out across the grounds. "Oh no," Lily whispered. James was struggling through the flying branches, supporting another figure at his side. "He cant get his wand out, we've got to help!"

"Lily, wait. Remus could be right beh-." But Sirius's objections were drowned out as the redhead took off towards the monstrous willow. James was still pulling the black haired figure at his side, attempting to mask the flying branches and pull out his wand at the same time.

"James!" Lily yelled out, her hair streaming behind her as she came near enough for the Willow to hit her. "_Immobulus!" _

The Whomping Willow froze where it was as James Potter let his free hand drop in relief. "Help me," he choked out, shoving Severus towards her.

"Its okay," Lily soothed, wrapping her left arm around Sev to steady him and offering her wand hand to James. "You're going to be fine now." Her best friend didn't move.

"We've got to go," James panted, pointing towards the castle. "Remus will have…will have smelled him. He'll be….after us. Go."

"I need help," Lily whimpered to herself as Snape weighed on her side, unable to move. "I'm not strong enough."

"Give him to me," Sirius rough voice rang from beside her. Whipping around, Lily saw him hoist Snape over his shoulder with a grunt. "James is right though. We have to hurry. We've wasted enough time."

Wiping a hand across his shadowed face, James staggered to his feet and began to stumble forward. His hand clutched the crook of Lily's elbow and pulled her onwards. "Faster," he urged, looking over his shoulder.

Lily shook her head as Peter twitched nervously. "We can only move so fast. Sirius is carrying Severus."

"Then go," James told her angrily, seeming to gain more strength as they traipsed past the lake though he still limped on his right foot. "We've got it from here. Get back to the school before you get in trouble."

"No," she replied stubbornly, yanking her arm out of James's grasp. "I'm not going anywhere."

"This isn't the time for heroics, Evans," James declared, exasperated. "Get in the castle. Remus doesn't know friend from foe at this time of night."

"I don't care." Lily stuck up her nose to emphasize her point.

"She's not going anywhere," Sirius grunted as they trotted along, the castle growing bigger with every step. "Girl's stubborn as a hippogriff."

James's glare shifted to Sirius. "If it wasn't for you, we wouldn't even be here! How could you put her in danger!"

"Its not like she gave me a choice!" Sirius exclaimed, panting. "I didn't really have the time to be picky."

"And I do what I want," Lily added, huffing from their jog.

"Stay out of it," James growled, pushing past her to come side by side with Sirius. For once, Lily didn't challenge him. James wasn't….James tonight. He was someone different. Someone infinitely more scary. His eyes held the look of a madman who was seconds from death, the look of someone who thought they were going to die. This was not James Potter.

"You trick Snape into coming out here in the first place and then have the gall to invite Lily along!" James roared. "She could be killed."

"Can this wait?" Sirius yelled back, his thick eyebrows drawing together. "Its not necessarily the best time to argue over whether your obsession with Evans has any pertinence to my life!"

"You're supposed to be my best mate!" James shouted, dragging his right foot along as sweat dripped of Sirius's forehead and Peter trembled. "What happened to that?"

"If I wasn't your best mate, I wouldn't be out here with you!" Sirius retorted angrily.

They were almost there. Lily just hoped they could make it through the doors without a row. Please, let us make it, she thought to herself. Please. Suddenly, Lily felt the third blood curdling howl ring out across the ground that night. _ARRRROOOOOOOOO. _

"Bloody Hell," Sirius panted, breaking into a run. "He's out!"

"Run!" James shouted, snatching Lily's hand and pulling her along. The awkward group of four began to stumble across the lawn as fast they could, blood pounding through their veins. Peter had vanished, seemingly melting away into the darkness, but Lily had no time to think. Only to run.

"Stop here!" Sirius panted, slowing to a halt a hundred yards from the school. "James, take Lily and Snape. I'll go after Moony."

"No!" Lily shouted, not understanding as James nodded in agreement. She turned to Sirius in alarm. "You'll be killed."

The handsome boy chuckled darkly. "Trust me, I'll be fine." Lily opened her mouth but found no words came out.

"Here, Evans, help me carry Snape," James said with a grunt as he helped Snape off of Sirius's back. The Slytherin was beginning to stir, his eyes fluttering as he shifted from side to side. "All we need to do is get to the castle and we'll be safe. Sirius will distract Remus for as long as possible."

"You cant let him do this!" Lily exclaimed desperately as James and Sirius nodded at each other grimly, all semblance of their former argument gone.

"There's a lot of things you don't know about us, Evans," James said in a strained voice as Snape pressed against him. "And this is one of them. You just have to trust us."

"Fine!" Lily shouted, stepping forward and wrapping her arms around Severus with James. "But don't come crying to me when things go wrong!"

Sirius scoffed and looked at James. "Are you ready to run?"

Lily felt James tighten his hold on the slightly conscious Snape and did the same. "Go for it," James told Sirius grimly.

"Ready…." Sirius said, backing up. "Set…." James stepped a foot forward. "Go!" Sirius pounced through the air with a yelp of his own as he twisted and morphed. Within in the blink of an eye, a large black dog took his place and bounded into the darkness, added his own bark to the night music.

"Lily, run!" James told her, shaking her from her open mouthed stare. "Get to the castle!"

Shaking, Lily burst forward as the castle loomed above her. Unasked questions whirled in her head as her feet propelled her ever closer. Sirius was an animagus? Was he the only one? What was going on with the Whomping Willow? Suddenly, Lily noticed James was lagging behind, his face screwed up in pain as he pushed down on his foot time and time again.

"We're almost there," Lily encouraged him, slowing down as the castle doors drew near. "Just a few more steps. We're going to be okay…. We're going to be okay." The last part was more for herself than for him.

"Whasgoinon?" Severus suddenly groaned, taking his arm from James's grasp and bringing it to his forehead.

"Can you walk?" Lily asked, concerned, as the black haired boy wobbled to his feet. James only panted and limped up to them.

"Yeah," Sev said, blinking slowly. "Where am I-?"

Somewhere in the distance, the snarling of a giant dog drifted through the deceivingly peaceful night. Severus snapped to attention at the sound, realization coming back as he gazed out at his surroundings with growing fury.

"You," he spat at James, whirling towards the exhausted boy. "This is all your fault!"

"My fault?" James managed to ask defensively. "I just saved your life!"

Snape snorted scathingly. "You really would do anything to get to play the hero, wouldn't you, Potter? Even set up a scheme like this just to impress Lily."

"Sev, stop it," Lily said as he started towards the castle angrily. "James would never have risked that."

"Oh so you're on his side now?" Snape's face darkened as the three headed up the large stone steps.

"I never said that," Lily defended, angrily, her heart still pounding from adrenaline. This was not the time to bring up this old argument. James, at least, had been surprisingly silent on the issue, and for that she was thankful.

"You knew about Lupin the whole time, didn't you?" Severus accused, eyes blazing with resentment. "All those times I asked you if you knew anything…you lied to me! And for what purpose? To protect that beast!"

"That beast is my friend," Lily declared quietly.

"So it seems," Snape told her icily.

Lily wanted to open her mouth to protest, to assure him that his friendship would always come first and that he had no reason to be worried but the words stuck in her mouth. In the light of the castle, Lily could finally see his face and noticed sickeningly that a large red welt where the Whomping Willow must have hit him marked his forehead. Snape's robes were torn and dirty and one end of his pants looked as if it had been snagged on branches.

"Sev…" The boy only continued to stare at her with distaste. "Please don't do this."

"Its _them, _Lily," he spat. "The ones we always swore we'd hate. Don't tell me you're one of them." Lily flinched.

"Just shut up," James's voice finally drifted out of the darkness next to them. Lily saw Severus's lips twitch with resentment but was grateful when he stayed silent. James hobbled closer to them and Lily noticed for the first time that night that he had indeed taken the brunt of the blow, red lines from the willow dotting his face and arms. "Sirius and Lupin are still out there. This is the least of our worries."

"I would say that's a very accurate statement indeed, Mr. Potter," a calm voice came from behind them. "In fact, I would say if the friendship of Miss Evans and Mr. Snape is the only thing that suffers tonight, we should count ourselves very lucky."

Lily gasped and spun around, her stomach suddenly twisting into knots. It couldn't be….

"Professor Dumbledore," Severus choked out with wide eyes, "This wasn't my fault, the-the Marauders….they-they tricked me out here! I-I had no idea!"

Lily had never seen Dumbledore look so stern in her entire life. "The choices we make belong completely to ourselves, Mr. Snape. I would do well to remember that lesson."

Severus wilted, with a small, "Yes, sir."

Suddenly, another form came staggering out of the darkness, holding his arm tight to his body. "Sirius," James whispered as Lily looked at Dumbledore with worry. Would he ask questions about where the other boy had gone?

"Well, well, Mr. Black, I had hoped you would be joining us soon." Dumbledore looked down at the dark haired boy with disapproval as Sirius limped into the light of the doorway. "Something tells me you have quite the tale to tell."

Sirius only glared at the smirking Snape out of the corner of his eye. For some reason, Lily found herself wanting to speak up for the infamous badboy, even though she knew this was his entire fault. Dumbledore's stern gaze, however, was not encouraging and she abandoned the idea as Sirius made his way up the castle steps.

"Now, if you would all come inside, I would like to very much get this sorted out," Dumbledore beckoned them into the school. Pushing past the others, Severus slunk through the giant archway with a glare towards James and Sirius. With a sigh, Lily followed, feeling her heart sink with every step. What would happen now? Would Dumbledore expel Potter and Black? Even worse, would he expel Remus? After all, this wouldn't have even been a concern if he didn't attend this school. But it wasn't his fault. It was Sirius's for telling Sev to go out there? Or was it Sev's fault, for believing a Marauders instruction? Oh it was too complicated to tell. Maybe Dumbledore wouldn't bother finding out what happened and instead expel them all on principle. Lily's heart dropped at the notion of having to go back and tell her parents what happened.

The warmth of the entrance hall engulfed her as Potter and Black followed her deeper into the school, Dumbledore right behind them. No surprise, stern Deputy Headmaster Emilio Garret was waiting near the big staircase, gazing at them all with disapproval. The feeling of dread in the pit of Lily's stomach grew larger.

"Professor Garrett, could you please take young Mr. Black up to my office. I will join you both there in a moment." Though Dumbledore's voice was soft, Lily flinched at his words. Sirius's face turned the color of sour milk as the doors slammed shut with a thud.

"Come with me, Mr. Black," Garret intoned, beckoning Sirius to follow him. Lily felt her throat constrict as the self-proclaimed badboy lowered his head and shuffled off to join the Deputy Headmaster.

"Professor," James suddenly piped up, eyes trained on Sirius as he turned around the corner and was lost from sight. "Please…. Sirius didn't mean any harm…" James looked strained. "He just sometimes…forgets. Please don't expel him."

Dumbledore looked seriously at James and Lily gulped. He should learn to just keep his mouth shut. "I do hope you understand, Mr. Potter, that Mr. Black committed a serious offence here tonight. We could have lost nearly five lives on Hogwarts grounds due to what Mr. Black considered only an amusing prank."

"Sirius didn't mean it," James insisted, pushing up his glasses. Lily could see the desperation in his eyes and held her breath. Even though the dark haired rascal was annoying, she didn't want anything bad to happen to Sirius. "Please, sir, he's my best friend, and I know he never would have meant for anyone to get hurt, including Snape. He's just a little….short sighted."

Dumbledore sighed, shaking his head. "Your loyalty is touching, Mr. Potter, but tonight was not another innocent prank. This is a serious matter and will be viewed as such. Now, I expect its best that you-."

"SIR!" James's voice echoed through the hall and made both Lily and Severus jump. This minute his yell rang out, James shrank back looking abashed. Dumbledore turned and Lily expected the worst.

However, his eyes were not unkind. "Mr. Potter, I must deal with Mr. Black as I would a Headmaster. I cannot have my students put in danger while I am head of this school."

"Sir." Lily was surprised to hear her own voice ring through the hall, as was the other three it seemed. The minute she heard her voice echo, she doubted her decision to speak but it was too late. Dumbledore was looking at her curiously, waiting politely for her to finish.

Three pairs of eyes looked at her with surprised expectation as she cleared her throat uncertainly. "Sir," she started again, training her eyes on Dumbledore's face. "I witnessed a lot of tonight, though I wasn't supposed to." She paused as Severus glared at her with a contempt she hadn't seen before. It made her feel sick.

"Yes, Miss Evans?" Dumbledore asked seriously, peering down at her from his half-moon glasses.

Lily gulped, feeling James's white hot stare upon her face. "Sir-," she choked out, "Sir, I don't think you should expel Sirius. He really didn't mean this. It spiraled out of his control. Please don't ruin his life because of one stupid mistake. I know he already learned his lesson."

Her plea was answered in silence as she forced herself to ignore James and Severus's astonished faces and focus on Dumbledore, who looked at her curiously. "I did not think you were friends with Mr. Black, Miss Evans. Why would you speak up on his behalf?"

"I'm not." Lily stole a glance at Severus, who refused to meet her gaze. Taking a deep breath, she looked at Dumbledore red-faced. "I just know he didn't mean it. And I just think that you should know that too… He doesn't deserve to be expelled."

James looked incredulous as Dumbledore spoke with a soft smile. "I thank you both for your words. I will take them into my consideration. But now, I fear, I must send you all off to the Infirmary where Madam Pomfrey, I'm sure, is worriedly awaiting your arrival."

Lily let out a deep breath, dropping her head and refusing to look at her companions. She hadn't even noticed the scratches on her arms until this point. "Mr. Filch has been informed that you have the right to be in the school at this hour but just the same, I wouldn't dawdle in these corridors after dark." Dumbledore gestured towards the stairs. "I'll speak with you all tomorrow more on this subject but for now, I think its best to let it rest for tonight."

"Thank you sir," James managed to respond as Dumbledore turned and walked towards the corner.

His departure left the three remaining Fifth Years in silence. Then suddenly, with a swish of his robes, Sev turned and marched up the steps. "Sev…" Lily murmured, following him.

Her friend only turned away as James sullenly fell into line behind them. Lily looked at Severus with dismay. He couldn't blame her for this, could he? After all, she did help rescue him. "Severus, please," she pleaded, trotting right behind him and placing her hand on his shoulder.

"I thought you were my friend," he spat, whirling on her as they weaved through the corridors. "I thought we were in this together."

"Sev, we are!" Lily cried out. "I'm still on your side!"

"Tonight has shown me differently," he glared, but Lily could see the hurt in his eyes. "Avery was right," she heard him mutter.

"What did you say?" she demanded. Severus only shook his head.

"Just leave me alone, Lily," he told her, turning his back.

"Severus, please," she begged once more, "I'm still your-."

"I said leave me ALONE!" Snape shouted out, his face contorted with fury. Lily shrunk back. She had never seen him like this before. What had gotten into him lately?

"Lily had nothing to do with this!" James suddenly spoke up. The two best friends turned to see anger etched on the Chaser's handsome face. "You're an idiot if you think that she'd ever waste her time planning pranks with Sirius."

"Oh, I'm the idiot?" Severus's sallow face reddened. "I'm the idiot?" He marched towards James. "Says the one who almost killed me!"

"I had nothing to do with what Sirius told you tonight," James defended angrily, pushing his glasses up his nose. "You should show a bit more gratitude considering I just saved your life!"

"Saved my life?" Snape's lip curled. "More like condemned it! Classic Potter. Always wanting to play the hero! Well not anymore." Severus spat in James's face. "We'll see how you laugh when Black boards the train for home tomorrow morning. If justice is done, you'll be joining him."

"Sev, please-," Lily tried to reason but James drowned her out.

"I wasn't playing the hero! What will it take to make you believe I had no part in this?" James growled, pushing Snape back a step. "The last thing I wanted was for anyone to get hurt, including your sorry arse."

"James, don't even bother-." But Severus only spoke louder over Lily's words.

"So you say now," Snape accused, pointing at James. "I bet you set this all up to impress Lily, didn't you? Try and make me look like a helpless fool and then woo her with your charm and heroism as you save me from Lupin's grasp, is that it?" Lily's heart raced as the two boys faced off, acting as if she wasn't even there.

James reddened but his eyebrows only drew further together. "Lily had nothing to do with this! I would never put her life in danger just so I could rescue you! We all could have died tonight as well so don't act like the only victim here!"

"I know this was your plan, Potter!" Snape declared angrily. "Pathetic. A girl like Lily would never love an idiot like you!"

With a grunt of frustration, James shoved Snape up against the wall, his wand pointed at his throat. "Say that again," he dared the smaller boy.

"JUST STOP IT!" Lily suddenly shouted. "BOTH OF YOU!"

The two enemies swapped their angry glares for looks of surprise as both their heads whipped her way. "You're both acting like prats!"

"But Lily-," Snape defended as James let go of him, suddenly looking ashamed, and letting his wand tumble to the floor.

"Don't 'but Lily' me," she snapped at him. "Even you should be able to see that Potter had no part in tonight! No matter how much trouble he causes, he wouldn't put his friends in danger just for you!"

"Are you actually defending him?" Severus asked incredulously.

Lily reddened. "I know the truth, Severus. James had nothing to do with Sirius's awful prank."

Severus was silent for a moment in which his face contorted with hatred. "I didn't want to believe it," he muttered softly. "But now I see its true. You really are one of them."

"I'm not one of them, Sev," Lily sighed, annoyed. "Its you whose changed. Becoming more like those bloody pricks Mulciber and Avery. Since when did I have to contend for your attention with them?"

"Since Potter and Black became your new best friends," Sev told her bitterly, glaring at James.

"They're not-," Lily tried to defend.

"Save it, Lily," Snape spat, turning. "You proved everything tonight, when you took his side over mine."

"That's not what happened!" Lily told him angrily but it was too late. Severus had already vanished, leaving the two Gryffindors in the corridor alone.

Lily felt water spring up within her eyes but she rubbed it fiercely away. Sev was being a bloody prat and if he wanted to act that way, who was she to stop him? James passed her and knelt at the stone wall, picking his wand up from where it had fallen. He looked tired and angry. Lily didn't know what to say to him. The last time they'd been alone, he'd tried to kiss her and then left in a frightening daze.

"Come on, Evans," James suddenly spoke up. She snapped out of her reverie to find him holding a portrait open and looking at her wearily. "Let's get out of here."

"But that's not the way to the infirmary," she said, confused.

"Of course not," he yawned, making the bruises appearing on his face ripple in the candlelight. "It's the way back to Gryffindor Tower."

"But Dumbledore said…" Lily began to say.

"I know what Dumbledore said," James intoned. "But I'm tired. I can take care of these myself. I don't need Madam Pomfrey to heal them." The red welts on his face had only grown more prominent as he emerged more into the light.

"Madam Pomfrey is expecting us," Lily insisted, gesturing in the direction of the Infirmary. "We just need to stop in."

"You really do follow the rules all the time, don't you?" James said. Lily scowled, but when she looked at him, she realized that he didn't mean it unkindly. His eyes were shadows in the darkened corridors but Lily still felt them on her face and turned away, uncomfortable.

"I like rules," she said quietly, feeling the admission sting in the presence of a Marauder. She trained her eyes on the floor.

James sighed. "Fine," he said after a moment's silence. Lily chanced a glance at him to find him watching her curiously. "We'll go to the Infirmary."

"Thanks," Lily murmured in relief. He closed the portrait hole and with a nod, beckoned her down the hallways.

She fell into step beside him and realized he was still limping on his foot. James grimaced slightly every time he put his weight on it, but Lily could see he was trying to hide any pain. Their silence was uncomfortable and after what had just happened, the calm walk to the Hospital Wing seemed out of place.

What would happen to Sirius now? Did Dumbledore intend to punish only him? But they all had still broken curfew. Would he tell Remus tomorrow what happened? Her furry friend would be heartbroken to know the trouble he almost caused. And what was wrong with Sev these days? He was…different. A little meaner, and a whole lot more defensive than usual. Since when did he regard her as the enemy? Lily turned the corner absentmindedly. How did Dumbledore even find out what happened? Sometimes she thought he must psychic…or perhaps a mind reader. It was the only way to account for his eerie knowledge of every happening at Hogwarts.

Suddenly, James cleared his throat. "Why did you stand up for me back there?" Lily's head shot up and realized that he had been watching her. Her cheeks reddened of their own accord.

"Er…I guess…." she stammered. "I guess I knew it wasn't your fault."

"But Snape's your best friend." His eyes were watching her closely. "Why would you defend me against him?"

"I'm a rule follower, remember?" Lily exclaimed, not knowing what to say. "You hadn't done anything wrong. I wasn't going to lie…."

James nodded wordlessly and they fell into another awkward silence as the climbed staircase after staircase and turned corner after corner.

"Why did you go after Severus?" Lily suddenly spoke up, as the Infirmary grew close.

James kept his eyes trained in front of him though his body stiffened at the question. "I knew how much he meant to you," he said expressionless, though his cheeks appeared to be a little redder than usual.

Lily peered up at him in surprise. "But you hate Sev. You could have just left him. But instead, you put yourself in danger. Why?"

James heaved a deep sigh as the Infirmary's broad doorframe came into sight. "Lily, if something had happened to Snape, do you honestly think you would've cared if it was Sirius's fault or mine? I may seem like a prat sometimes, but I would have never forgiven myself if something had happened to him and I could've stopped it. And you wouldn't have forgiven me either."

Lily was silent for a moment. "So you did it for me?"

James's eyes squinted together as if in pain and he put his hands in his pockets. "Yeah, I guess so." His answer was nonchalant but his averted gaze said all.

"Well, thanks," Lily said softly, "I know Sev may act like a prick all the time but he isn't always like that. You just…set him off for some reason."

"I think I know why." James made eye contact for one startling moment and Lily felt a jolt of electricity all over. It took her back to earlier that night when he had looked at her just as intensely before putting his hands on the side of her face and forcing her into a kiss. His hazel eyes were the same ones that had stared at her for five years but for some reason, when he looked at her tonight, Lily second guessed everything she'd ever felt towards him. As if recognizing her train of thought, James suddenly looked away and the feeling vanished.

"We're here," James said. Lily shook out of her reverie and noticed the doors to the Infirmary only a foot or two away.

"Oh," she said softly.

They both just looked at the doors for a moment. "Well…should we go in?" James asked awkwardly.

"Oh yeah, we probably should," Lily agreed, motioning towards the door.

James reached for the handle.

"No, wait," Lily suddenly interrupted. James paused, looking at her with raised eyebrows. Her heart was pumping but she wanted to ask him, just so she knew. Just so she didn't have to keep wondering. Who knew when she would get another chance?

"Why did you kiss me?" Lily blurted out, face flushing in embarrassment.

This time, there was no hiding the blush that crept across James's face either. "Sorry about that," he replied, looking rattled. "You were there…and I was scared….and I don't know….I'm sorry."

"You don't need to apologize," Lily said softly, feeling more flustered by the second and regretting she even asked. But, she was already in this deep. "Just tell me why."

James looked agitated and he glanced at her in silence for a moment before responding with a sigh. "I just thought that perhaps…just in case I couldn't….you know….that if I couldn't save Snape…that maybe you wouldn't forgive me….and that that could be my only chance. So I guess I took it. I'm sorry."

"Its alright," Lily breathed, looking at James with a whole new feeling in her stomach.

Looking discomfited by Lily's silence, James continued on. "I know I may seem like a prat and that I'm always pulling pranks, especially on you, but I do care what you think about me." He was bright red. "And I'm sorry if I've ever hurt you. Or even…Snape... I've never thought about it until tonight when I thought I might loose you if I couldn't get to the Willow fast enough. So…I guess I'm officially apologizing." He rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably.

Lily felt that her mouth must be touching the floor right now out of sheer astonishment but she managed to swallow her shock. "Its fine," she managed, "Really. I forgive you."

As if on cue, Madam Pomfrey flung open the Infirmary doors, causing the two Gryffindors to duck out of their way. "Why, goodness gracious, what are you two just doing standing here?" she exclaimed crossly. "I've been waiting ages! Given me quite a heart attack. I was thinking you'd gotten lost. Think of what Professor Dumbledore would've said if he showed up here and found you two gone!"

"Sorry, Madam Pomfrey," Lily said as the woman rushed them inside, already fussing with James's robe.

"Sorry," James muttered over her motherly frown of distaste at their appearances.

Lily only got a moment to look at James before they were hustled into separate beds and had curtains pulled around them. He had been looking at her too. She smiled at him and he had given a nod back. Though they hadn't said a word, Lily knew James had understood that he was forgiven. At least for now.

"My, my, Mr. Potter, what have you been up to tonight?" Lily heard Madam Pomfrey's voice drift over from the next bed. "I don't suppose you'd tell me even if you could. If I had a sickle for every time you visited this Hospital Wing…well I'd be a rich woman by now, wouldn't I? I don't know when you'll learn to keep your nose out of trouble."

"I don't always go looking for trouble," Lily heard James mutter as she changed into the fresh robes that had been placed at the foot of her bed, "Sometimes trouble goes looking for me."

"Nonsense, my dear," she murmured. Lily heard nothing for a moment. Then suddenly, "You really did get yourself some nasty cuts tonight, Mr. Potter! Why, I'd say you might stay the night while you heal. If I let you go, Merlin knows you'll only find a way to land yourself back in here by morning!

"But Madam Pomfrey-!" James began.

"No buts from you, young man," she said sternly as Lily heard the curtain slide back. "You lay right down while I check on Miss Evans. How she got roped into your shenanigans, I'll never know."

James must have accepted the stern nurse's instructions for Lily heard no more words from the dark haired Chaser. Suddenly, Lily's curtain opened with a snap and a bustling Madam Pomfrey made her way in front of her, muttering all the while. "Sit," she ordered. Lily sat. "Lets have a look, shall we?"

She got out her wand and waved it towards Lily's body. A light shone from the tip and washed over Lily with a green glow. Concentrating intently, Madam Pomfrey slowly moved the light over Lily for a few moments until she seemed satisfied.

"Well Miss Evans, it seems you got off much more lucky than Mr. Potter," she said sternly. "There's a hardly a scratch on you, though you look still in a bit of shock. Go back to your dormitory and get some sleep. Those bags under your eyes will only get worse during this time of year."

"Thank you," Lily murmured as she stepped back out into the Hospital Wing. Her eyes flicked over to the other closed curtain, but there was no sign of movement from within.

"Will he be alright?" she asked Madam Pomfrey awkwardly.

"Oh yes, yes, of course," the nurse nodded. "Mr. Potter will be up and about by daybreak, I'm sure. Maybe a twisted ankle, a few deep cuts or bruises at the worst. Nothing he hasn't seen before. You have nothing to worry about, my dear."

"Thank you," Lily told her as she was ushered out the door.

"Goodnight, my dear, make sure you get to bed!" she insisted as Lily stepped out into the corridor.

"I will!" Then the doors of the Infirmary shut firmly behind her and Lily found herself almost completely alone. Only one other person stood outside the Hospital Wing, and it was someone she had not expected to see.

"Professor Dumbledore," Lily said numbly, gazing at the towering figure in front of her. After everything that had happened tonight, Lily was amazed to find she could still be surprised at his arrival.

"I had hoped to catch you, Miss Evans," the Headmaster gazed at her with a smile. "Would you do me the honor of allowing me to escort you back to Gryffindor Tower? It seems Mr. Filch did not get my message about your allowance to be out of bed after hours."

"Of course," Lily murmured, her stomach suddenly fluttering again. Her conversation with James and the fight with Severus had taken her mind off of the prospect of expulsion but Dumbledore's sudden appearance brought everything back to her. Nervously, Lily started off down the hall, Dumbledore trailing by her side, seemingly content to let her lead the way in silence.

"Sir?" Lily suddenly asked, looking at him with apprehension.

"Yes, Miss Evans."

"What happened to Sirius?" Lily chewed her lip as she watched Dumbledore smile faintly. That was a good sign.

"Well, Mr. Black was not expelled, Miss Evans as I'm sure you and Mr. Potter will be happy to hear," Dumbledore told her. "However, I expect that the Trophy Room will be awfully clean over the next eight weeks, as will Mr. Filch's filing cabinets, and Professor Kettleburn's equipment shack."

Lily couldn't help but smile slightly.

The odd couple continued onwards around portraits of snoozing princesses and sleeping warlocks. Lily had never broken curfew this late before and was surprised to find the castle oddly peaceful.

"Professor?" she suddenly spoke up again. "How did you know…that we were in trouble, I mean?"

Dumbledore smiled to himself for a moment before gazing out at the walls with a wise look in his eye. "This castle holds more secrets than even I'll know, I'm afraid. Hogwarts is a very old school, full of the same deep magic that lies at the root of every witch and wizard."

"Yes, but you were already waiting for us by the time we got back to the doors," Lily insisted, looking at the brick walls and woven tapestries.

Dumbledore was silent for a moment and Lily chanced a glance in his direction. The Headmaster appeared deep in thought. "When you truly love something, Miss Evans, as I do this school, you'd surprised to find how many secrets it's willing to reveal."

He looked down at her and smiled, allowing the corners of his eyes to wrinkle slightly. "I don't know if you understand completely, but come time, I'm sure you, too, will find something you love enough to give yourself completely to it, even die for it, if you must."

"Yes, sir," she replied simply, because it was easier than trying to puzzle through it.

"Love can be a funny thing, Miss Evans," Dumbledore continued as they neared the portrait of the Fat Lady. "It can bring people together…and it can tear them apart." He paused for a moment, making Lily stop to wait. "I have a feeling you have felt the repercussions of that lesson much more than some during your time at Hogwarts."

She felt her face flush as she thought of James and Sev. "You did a very honorable thing tonight," Dumbledore told her gravely. "You risked your life to save a friend and stood up for what was right in the face of intimidation." He peered at her closely through his half-moon glasses and suddenly, Lily got the strange feeling he could see right through her.

"I get the feeling that at times you wonder if you had been sorted into the right house." Lily raised her eyebrows at his statement. "Would I be correct in assuming as such?"

Lily lowered her head. "Yes."

Dumbledore began to walk once more and this time, it was Lily trailing him instead. "Its curious how many times I see doubt in the eyes of my students that where they belong is right."

"Its not that I don't like being a Gryffindor, sir," Lily explained, feeling guilty. "Its just…. Sometimes I don't think I fit like the others do…."

"It is curious that you should remark that, Miss Evans," Dumbledore said seriously as they reached the snoozing Fat Lady, "As there was no greater indication of your belonging in Gryffindor House as was shown tonight down in the entryway."

"What do you mean, Professor?" Lily asked, remembering the way Sev had looked at her and inwardly cringing.

"It takes a great deal of courage to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends." Dumbledore smiled at her kindly as Lily started.

"Sometimes bravery can be found in the strangest of times," Dumbledore continued merrily, as if chatting about the weather. "And tonight, you proved what the Sorting Hat saw in you five years ago."

Lily stared at her feet, not knowing what to think. "Well, I'm sure I've given you quite a lot to digest," Dumbledore waved his hand and the Fat Lady opened without a word. "Its time you got off to bed and time I got off to see to Mr. Potter."

"Thank you," Lily felt that the words seemed forced as she stepped through the portrait hole. "Oh, and Professor?"

Dumbledore turned back to face her. "James really didn't have any part in it, I swear."

The older wizard nodded ponderously. "Thank you, Miss Evans."

Lily shrugged uncomfortably as the Fat Lady swung shut and blocked Dumbledore's face from view. The last thing she had seen were his piercingly blue eyes staring at her as though she were only made of glass, with all her secrets just waiting to be examined. The fire had gone out since she had left but Lily barely noticed the cold. She was too preoccupied.

Crossing the room to where her books still sat, strewn haphazardly across the table, Lily stared out the window the grounds below. In the last hour, it seemed her life had taken a very different turn, though to look around, nothing appeared any different than it had this morning. Her best friend may have just become her enemy and her enemies may just have become her friends. The person she thought would always stand up for her, let her go and the people she always let go, she suddenly stood up for. It was all so complicated. In the course of a night, everything had changed.

Brushing a hand to her lips and remembering James's kiss, Lily sighed. "These boys…." She muttered to no one in particular. "They're going to kill me."

**LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK! I CAN ONLY IMPROVE WITH FEEDBACK SO PLEASE REVIEW!**


	5. Lily and James Became Friends

**HEY EVERYONE! ITS BEEN AWHILE. IVE SPENT A BIT OVERSEAS AND WITH THE END OF SCHOOL COMBINED ITS BEEN A BIT CRAZY. HERE'S A NEW INSTALLMENT BUILDING OFF THE SCENE HARRY SAW IN SNAPE'S MEMORY, BUT INSTEAD FROM JAMES' P.O.V. ITS BEEN A GREAT WAY TO GET BACK ON THE SCENE AND I HOPE YOU ALL ENJOY. FEEL FREE TO LEAVE CONSTRUCTIVE CRITCISM AS WELL!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter and the first half of the dialogue was written by J.K. Rowling.**

"_James threw his hands up in frustration. "Because that's what I do! Sirius was a blood traitor, Remus was a werewolf and Peter an outcast. But I wanted to befriend them because they're great people. Now you-"_

_He pointed a finger at her accusingly._

"_You're just as bad. Conceited, picky and a tease. But you're lonely… And sad sometimes. And right now, without anybody to turn too. Is it so bad to extend a hand of friendship to someone in need."_

**THE FIRST TIME…LILY AND JAMES BECAME FRIENDS**

As James let the Golden Snitch drift in and out of his fingers, he allowed his gaze to drift over to the girls by the waters edge, especially on one in particular. Lily was beautiful, that much Sirius and he agreed on, but he always got the impression that his best friend's interest in the redhead ended there at face value. James, though he'd never admit it, had always admired her fiery spirit as much as her looks. It hardly seemed like years since they first met in the on the train and then in Great Hall, with Sirius spilling pudding in her lap and her angry expression as he laughed at the mess. He still swore she'd never forgive him for that one, no matter how hard he tried to apologize.

Wormtail's cheers snapped him out of his reverie as his fist closed around the snitch once more. With a quick grin, James twirled the golden ball into the air, letting it get just a bit farther away before snatching it just in time.

"Put that away, will you?" his dark haired best friend asked, annoyed. "Before Wormtail wets himself from excitement." James only smirked.

"If it bothers you…." He let his voice trail away, making sure to leave Sirius with the impression that his new boredom was indeed his fault.

Seemingly picking up on his mood, Sirius whined, "I'm bored. Wish it was full moon." He leaned back against the tree and looked longingly at the sky, as if staring long enough would make it change.

"You might," joined in Remus Lupin. "We've still got Transfiguration, if you're bored, you could test me…. Here."

James grinned at Mooney's hopeful expression. As if Sirius would actually help anybody study. "I don't need to look at that rubbish, I know it all."

Eyes drifting towards the lake again, James noticed that Lily's carefree expression had changed in the past few minutes. It was now a bit more worried, as if someone had told her it was about to rain. Following her gaze, he saw the problem. _Snivellus. _According to Mooney, whom Lily talked to often, good ol' Snape hadn't been himself lately, sneaking off with the likes of boys who held very dark interests. The fact that Lily was concerned about him at all made James' heart pound with frustration.

"This'll liven you up, Padfoot," James murmured, watching Snivellus with more distaste than usual. "Look who it is…"

"Excellent. Snivellus…" It was slightly disconcerting to see the look of malevolent glee that appeared on his best friends face but James brushed it aside. He was bored, and Snape had been on his nerves more than usual lately. Its time he had some fun with him.

"All right, Snivellus?" James asked loudly, making sure his voice carried to the surrounding students and especially the girls by the lake.

Snape reacted quickly but James was much faster, shouting _"Expelliarmus" _before he could even get his wand out of his bag. Sirius laughed behind him, continuing on with "_Impedimenta!"_

A group of students appeared around the three and James noticed that Lupin had hung back, seemingly focused on his exams when Prongs knew in fact, he was following the exchange quite closely. A quick glance at the lake showed that Lily was watching too, her eyes glued on the greasy hair of the measly boy in front of him. This bothered James even more.

"How'd the exam go, Snivelly?" he asked viciously, turning his voice into a nasal copy of Snape's.

"I was watching him, his nose was touching the parchment," Sirius responded right on cue. James would never tire of the perfect way they played off one another like brothers. "There'll be grease marks all over it, they wont be able to read a word."

James was one of the first to laugh in the group of onlookers, high fiving Sirius as he passed by. "You-wait," Snape panted at him, loathing apparent in his eyes. "You-wait…"

James Potter only regarded him coldly, thinking of what sort of things he'd been getting up to lately with his newfound "friends". If it worried Lily, then it worried him.

"Wait for what?" Sirius' voice drifted over. "What're you going to do, Snivelly, wipe your nose on us?"

Snape began to swear and as if waiting on cue, James tutted, knowing that Lily's eyes were on him. "Wash out your mouth," he reprimanded, his playful manner leaving. "_Scourgify."_

With satisfaction, James and Sirius laughed as pink bubbles came streaming out of Snape's mouth. Suddenly- "Leave him ALONE!"

James' heart nearly jumped to his mouth. Whipping around, he saw his goal had been accomplished as an angry red head marched over to him. Automatically, his hand reached for his hair, attempting to ruffle it further.

"All right, Evans?" he asked nicely, taking his eyes off Snape. He felt Padfoot smile next to him at his change in demeanor and mentally reminded himself to punch him later.

"Leave him alone." Lily glared James Potter down. "What's he done to you?"

Mildly annoyed by her continued defense of the greaseball, James took one small triumph in the fact that she still refused to look at Snape. So Lupin was right, there was trouble between the two….

"Well…its more the fact that he _exists_, if you know what I mean…" James told her haughtily, grinning proudly when the remark drew laughs from the audience.

"You think you're funny," she spat at him, and James was reminded how beautiful she could be when she was angry. "But you're just an arrogant, bullying toerag, Potter. Leave him _alone."_

Though he would never let her know, her insults could sometimes bother him. In fact, it usually gave him a slight pang that made him momentarily regret what he had done. Having no clever response, he took to his usual retort.

"I will if you go out with me, Evans," he said smartly. "Go on…go out with me, and I'll never lay a hand on old Snivelly again." Though it was a longtime banter between them, James always felt let down when he heard her consistent answer.

"I wouldn't go out with you if it was a choice between you and the giant squid!" she replied quickly, crossing her arms and narrowing her eyes. James could only smile charmingly at her, knowing that when he did, he at least got the satisfaction of a small blush.

Patting him on the shoulder, Sirius added, "Bad luck, Prongs." Then suddenly a scuffle broke out behind the trio and both James and Sirius whipped around. "OY!" Sirius yelled out.

Suddenly, a slash of pain hit James straight in the face and he felt warm blood spatter of his robes. In response, James flashed his wand at Snape and before the greasy pathetic excuse of life probably had time to think, Prongs had the satisfaction of seeing him dangle from the tree. Grinning, James observed his gray underpants with pleasure, having gotten the humiliation he had been looking for. The crowds interrupted with cheers though James only had eyes for Lily.

For a minute he thought he finally had her, a smile forming on her face. But then she faced him, her normal angered expression returning. "Let him down."

"Certaintly," James taunted her, dropping Snape to the ground in a crumpled heap. Two could play this game and James felt a thrill go through him as Lily challenged him with her eyes.

Behind him, he heard Sirius' voice ring out, "_Locomotor Mortis!" _Snape went flat and rigid and Lily's gaze was averted.

"LEAVE HIM ALONE!" she finally shouted, quieting all the crowds as she whipped out her own wand. James eyed it suspiciously, wondering if she truly would jinx him if he continued.

"Ah, Evans, don't make me hex you," he told her seriously, dropping all charming pretense as the red head glared him down.

"Take the curse off him then," she challenged, still holding him at wand point. For a moment, the two wills clashed and James and Lily stared at one another, each daring the other to make the first move.

Finally James conceded, and sighing, removed the curse from Snape. "There you go," he said heavily, hoping Lily appreciated this. "You're lucky Evans was here, Snivellus-."

"I don't need help from filthy little Mudbloods like her!" Snape's voice rang out through the ground, causing an intake of breath from the audience. James felt anger he didn't know possible course through his veins as he stared down his old enemy. But Lily was quicker and her response was immediate.

"Fine," she said coolly. "I wont bother in the future. And I'd wash your pants if I were you, _Snivellus._"

James couldn't even take pride in Lily's adoption of his own nickname for the greaseball as his still stared at the dark haired boy with distaste. "Apologize to Evans!" he roared as the crowd stayed silent, realizing this was more than playfulness coming from charming James Potter. This was actual anger.

"I don't want _you_ to make him apologize," Lily yelled now too, pointing her wand at James. "You're as bad as he is…" A flash of hurt in her voice pushed through the anger and James' pulse slowed.

"What?" he yelled, offended. "I'd NEVER call you a- you-know-what." He stumbled over what to say.

"Messing up your hair because you think it looks cool to look like you've just got off your broomstick," Lily began to rant, true anger showing in her face too. This was not one of their playful arguments they were known for. "Showing off with that stupid Snitch, walking down corridors and hexing anyone who annoys you because you can - I'm surprised your broomstick can get off the ground with that fat head on it. You make me SICK."

With one last glare between the two, Lily Evans stalked away, pushing through the crowds, head down, covered by her hands. "Evans!" James couldn't help but shout, although he knew he looked desperate. "Hey, EVANS!"

Lily did not come back.

A burning feeling entered his heart as he watched her retreat. "What is it with her?" he asked lightly, turning away like it didn't matter as Sirius patted him on the back.

"Reading between the lines, I'd say she thinks you're a bit conceited, mate," Sirius clapped him on the back.

"Right," James said to himself, noticing the smug look on Snape's face and feeling the jealously and guilt that was hitting him all at once. "Right…"

Angrily, James whipped his wand towards Snape's direction and once again, he was back in the tree. Sneering, James taunted, "Who wants to see me take off Snivelly's underpants?"

The crowd roared with laughter once again, having seemingly forgotten the spat between the Chaser and his fellow red headed Gryffindor. "You want me to take it from here, mate?" Sirius leaned in to ask him, noticing that James' gaze had strayed towards where Lily had strode moments ago.

Nodding curtly, James sneered one last time at the dangling Snape before pushing his own way through the crowd and back towards the school. Cool air and silence hit him once inside, as most students were outdoors lounging about in the sun between exams.

He watched as Lily's red head bobbed away from him, dashing up the steps to the second floor. "Evans!" he called after her, earning a few annoyed looks from some Ravenclaws as he raced after her. "Hey, Evans!"

Lily kept going, ducking her head further each time her called her name and covering her face with her free arm. James rolled his eyes and sped up, jogging to keep up. "Evans?"

"Argh just leave me alone!" Lily yelled back at him, rounding corner after corner as if trying to lose him.

James huffed impatiently and paused for a moment before running after her. It was no surprise that she was making her way towards the Gryffindor Common Room. "Evans, please wait up," James called.

"Do you ever give up?" she responded as she kept walking, though James thought he could hear a trace of a sob in her voice as she walked away. They both dashed up a few flights of stairs, James falling silent as he followed. She had not tried to shoo him away again and he took that as a sign of encouragement.

The Fat Lady appeared in front of them and James knew that the moment Lily passed her she would race up to her room, where he could not follow. The time to act was upon him.

"Evans, wait," he said softly, jogging the last few feet to catch up and touching her arm lightly.

She whipped around, her eyes wild and her face blotchy as if she had been crying. "Leave me alone, Potter," she spat at him. Turning, she faced the portrait as if ready to go inside.

"I'm sorry!" James blurted out.

Lily paused. The Fat Lady looked at both of them for a moment and then slowly crept out of her portrait to a neighboring vineyard, where she seemed to be hiding amongst the vines.

"What did you say?" Lily's voice was undecipherable.

"I said that…" James trailed off, not liking that he had to say it again. "I'm sorry."

Lily whipped around. Her eyes were still red but she didn't look quite as angry with him. She regarded him haughtily, though tear tracks were still evident on her face. "For what?"

James resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "For taunting Sniv-I mean, Snape," he quickly corrected mid-sentence upon a raised eyebrow from Lily. "I didn't mean to upset you."

Lily stayed silent for a moment and considered her shoes very interestedly while James found himself fascinated with the ceiling. He couldn't remember why he followed her up here anyways. Sure, she had been angry with him. But she was always angry with him. Why was this time so different?

"Its not like you to apologize, Potter," Lily told him finally, still not looking up.

James just looked at her. "I'm not the complete prat you think I am."

"I think I'll be the judge of that," she responded rather coldly. They both sat there for a bit again, Lily wiping her eyes periodically. Finally, she turned to the portrait of the Fat Lady and found her gone.

"Great," she muttered, "Just great. Now I'm stuck here with you."

"Glad you enjoy my company too, Evans," James responded mildly. She didn't bother to reply but only began to search the other portraits for the lady, who seemed to have wandered off.

"Look, I'm sorry about what that slimeball called you," James told her suddenly.

Lily's eyes suddenly filled with tears, which seemed to make her angry. She wiped them viciously away. "I don't care what he called me," she muttered, her eyebrows drawing together.

"I thought he was your best friend," James pointed out.

Lily crossed her arms. "Yeah well… that turned out well, didn't it?"

Another awkward pause. Then, "I hope you know that I don't care if your muggleborn," James blurted out. "You're one of the brightest witches in our year, not to mention a potions prodigy. Slughorn would adopt you if he could, something not many people can say, pureblood or not."

Lily only looked at him.

"Plus, you learn everything so much faster than everyone else. Remember the Silencing Charm Flitwick taught us last week? You got it on your first try. Even Mooney didn't get it 'til at least his fifth. Blood doesn't mean anything."

"Easy to say when you're a pureblood," Lily murmured, though the sadness in the statement wasn't directed towards him.

"You beat Sirius and I in every class, Evans," James kept going, taking a step closer but stopping when she looked up, startled.

"Its only because you don't try!" she told him, raising both her eyebrows. "I've seen your marks, James Potter and they're good. Really good, in fact. You could easily be top of our year."

"Is Lily Evans complimenting me?" James asked her, a mischievous smile growing on his face.

Lily slightly smirked at him. "Of course not. I would never sink to that level."

James mockingly put a hand to his heart. "Ouch, that really hurts Evans," he told her through fake pain.

She smiled and James immediately felt better. This was why he had come up here. Because if he hadn't, the thought of whether she was okay or not would've nagged at him all day long. Most people passed off his crush on Lily Evans as no more than a joke but James knew, along with the Marauders, that it was no passing fancy.

"I was serious though," James told her. "What I said about blood. It doesn't matter."

Lily shrugged it off and looked away. "I know that."

"Do you?" he asked her seriously.

She paused for a moment, examining his face deep in thought and then nodded. "I think I do."

"Then why are you always hanging out with that git?" James burst out angrily. For once, Lily didn't admonish him. "You know who he's been hanging out with lately. They're bad news, Evans."

"You don't think I know that?" she responded sharply.

"Well you seem to be ignoring it," James pointed out, annoyed.

"Why do you care?" she pushed, scowling at him.

"Because I care about you!" James mentally kicked himself as the words slipped out of his mouth. Lily just stood there, surprised. "Er- you know, I just don't want to see you, you know, hurt or anything," he added lamely, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.

Lily bit her lip uncomfortably, though James thought he saw a bit of a blush. But then again, that could've been the redness from crying. He watched as her gaze slowly turned into a frown as her eyes slid off his to his cheek.

"What happened there?" She pointed to the right side of his face. James put his fingers to his cheekbone and winced. He had forgotten that Snape's curse had cut him earlier after seeing Lily angry.

"Snape… it was some curse," he told her, still feeling the gash. It was deeper than he had expected though the blood had stopped flowing. Tracing it with his fingers it went from the crease of his right eye to the corner of his lips.

Lily looked concerned and slightly…angry. Tentatively she walked closer as if afraid he might bite her if she got within reach. James stood very still, trying to think of a cool remark but feeling that it wasn't the time to interrupt her reverie. Reaching his side, Lily looked up at him and flushed before determinedly focusing on the cut. She held up a hand to his face and James took in a deep breath that made his heart pound. "Do you mind?" Lily asked him.

James managed to shake his head. "Of course not."

Lily was very still for a moment, her cool fingertips resting on the slash. "Sorry," she murmured, as he flinched.

"Don't worry about it," he muttered, clenching his hand into his robes as she expertly traced her fingers along the side of his jaw. Her touch was soft and yet professional. Looking down out of the corner of his eye, he watched her intense gaze on his cheek with a swelling in his heart.

With a sigh she looked at James in the eye. "I know this curse," she murmured, her eyes flicking back to the cut. "He showed it to me last week. Bloody awful." He was surprised at her language.

"You mean Snivellus invented this?" James asked incredulously. Lily just shook her head in disapproval and used her wand to cut a snatch of fabric from her robe. "That foul little git. It hurts like hell."

James clutched at the gash until Lily swatted his hands away. "Stop," she commanded. "You'll only make it worse." Reluctantly, James dropped his hand away.

She examined it for a few more seconds with a blank face that betrayed nothing. But that didn't stop James from trying to see something in her green eyes anyways. Lily had never been so close while being so gentle. Sometimes, James even forgot that she could be gentle. Of course, her encounters with the first-years and the creatures outside Kettleburn's hut reminded him she was capable, but the minute she got around him it seemed impossible that a gentle Lily existed. Until now…

"Well," she said flatly, her hand dropping to her side. "You're going to want to get that checked out. I'm sure Madam Pomfrey will take care of it somehow."

"Nah, I'll find my own way to heal it," James wiped the suggestion away airily.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Why do you always have to do that?" she huffed.

"Do what?" James asked, annoyed by another one of her infamous sudden mood swings.

"Act like you're so above every single other person you come across in the day," she stated, crossing her arms. "What ever made you think you were so much better than us?"

James eyebrows skyrocketed at her accusation. "You think that refusing to go to Madam Pomfrey means I think I'm better than everyone?" Lily didn't move. "Did you ever stop to consider that going to Madam Pomfrey would get Snape in even more trouble? Or do you always decide to jump to the worst conclusion for me?"

"Get Snape in more trouble? Or you, Potter?" Lily shook her head. "If they punished him, he'd rat you and Black out in an instant. And you're too smart to pretend that didn't cross your mind."

The two Fifth Years stood in a tense silence for a few moments, each with narrowed eyes, crossed arms and drawn eyebrows. No sound was made but by the few portraits in the area who had stayed to watch the confrontation. James just hoped they didn't become the next victims of Lily's death glare.

"Why did you still come to his defense?" James asked quietly, refusing to take his eyes off of Lily's.

She stiffened at the question. "None of your business," she shot back.

"After everything this year. His new friends, that night that he went after Mooney, all the mean things he said. Didn't that tell you anything about his character?" James lowered his arms but the animosity in his voice stayed consistent.

"His character?" Lily scoffed. "Or the character of the people that pushed him to it?"

"When do people's actions start becoming their own, Evans?" She stayed silent, glaring at him with evident hatred. "Why do you keep coming to his rescue when he obviously could care less about you?"

"Just shut up!" The words spilled from Lily's mouth before James had finished his last biting question. They ricocheted off the walls, causing the hound dogs in the portrait nearest to her to whine and put their tails between their legs. James took a step back in shock and even Lily looked surprise at the fury and hurt that had hurtled from her mouth in those three words.

"I thought after that night with Severus and Lupin…that we were going to be friends," Lily admitted softly, as James stepped back even further, still only hearing the words yelled a few moments beforehand. "I thought…you and me…we could be, well maybe not friends, but at least civil. For the first time, Potter, I saw a side of you that for a second I wanted to get to know."

"And then what happened?" James asked icily, watching with a small bit of pleasure as Lily's expression fell.

"And then nothing changed," she said, in a voice more hardened. "You showed me that you have no respect for anyone but yourself and your precious 'Marauders'."

"At least I don't retain respect for someone that called me a…." James spluttered on the word, his face going red with anger.

"What, Potter?" Lily glared at him. "Might as well say it. Doesn't mean anything coming from you."

James stiffened.

"Now run along, Potter," Lily told him, stepping back into the shadows of the torchlight. "Run along to your friends. At least you haven't lost any of those today."

And just like that, Lily Evans whirled on her feet and turned around the corner so quickly that James barely caught a glimpse of her vanishing red hair before she disappeared around the corner.

With a muffled shout of frustration James hit the stone walls with his fist. That girl… She was going to be the end of him. He just knew it.

* * *

><p>"How'd it go with Flower Princess?" It had taken Sirius until dinner that night to finally ask James the question he'd been waiting for since the confrontation in the hallway.<p>

Stabbing his steak moodily, anybody could see that the meeting had not gone well. However, James managed a stifled, "Fine," and tore off a huge chunk of meat to put off answering the next question.

"Was she upset?" Peter asked quietly, glancing nervously over at the Slytherin table.

James didn't answer.

"Maybe she just needs time," Remus offered kindly, sharing Peter's glance towards the opposite end of the hall.

"Oh she needs time alright," James huffed bitterly, taking a large swig of his Pumpkin Juice and nearly choking.

"Slow down there, Prongs," Sirius said, patting his best friend on the back. "Evans will warm up eventually."

James glanced up, annoyed at his friends' sudden kindness over a stupid girl and caught a worried look between Remus and Sirius. "What?" he asked, scowling.

"Nothing, James," Remus said hesitantly.

"Mooney, I am not in the mood." James pointed his fork threateningly at his friend. "What is it?"

Remus looked to Sirius, who sighed. "Its probably nothing. Its just…Lily hasn't shown up at dinner yet."

"Maybe she was studying and forgot the time," Peter offered earnestly. "She's done that before."

"Except there are no more exams tomorrow, Wormtail," Sirius said with a roll of his eyes as he flicked a piece of his mashed potato towards him.

"It's the End of Year Feast," Remus said quietly to James as Sirius and Peter threatened a food fight to end the year. "You know that's-."

"-Lily's favorite. Yeah, I know," James finished quietly. He looked down the table towards where Lily usually sat, sandwiched between Alice and Marlene.

Lily didn't seem like she would be in the mood to see him. She had probably had enough of James Potter for the next few days, if not years. But still… He couldn't shake the feeling that he owed her. For what, James still couldn't pinpoint. But the important fact was that he did.

Standing up abruptly, he muttered, "Meet you guys at the Willow later," and strode towards Alice and the other Fifth Year Gryffindor girls. As he approached, Marlene and Mary began to smile and bat their eyes, a sign James would usually pick up on and use to his advantage. However, today was not that kind of day. When there was no red head to make jealous, flirting with her friends suddenly seemed to lose its appeal. It was the unusually grim look on Alice's face as she approached that confirmed James' fears that Lily was not just studying for another exam that clearly no one else knew about. Something was definitely still not right.

"Hey ladies." James plopped down next to Marlene, facing Alice and mustered a decent smile. "Any chance you've seen Lily?"

"Why do you want to know?" Alice asked coolly as Marlene cut her off

"She said she wasn't hungry and feeling a little sick," Marlene interjected, smiling and a little flushed. "Poor thing didn't want to come down with us."

James glanced over at Alice for confirmation, but the dark haired DADA prodigy only stared coldly back. His heart sank. She knew. And James wasn't stupid. Lily was feeling perfectly fine, well, physically anyways.

"Do you know where I could find her?" James asked the girls as Mary tuned into the conversation. "I need to talk with her." The latter part he directed at Alice.

"I'm sorry I have no idea," Marlene said sadly. "Maybe you should check the Common Room?"

"Thanks for the advice," James said after a hopeful pause. He had been staring at Alice, who promptly kept her head down towards her food. "Well I will see you all in the morning." James stood and sighed as he walked back towards the Marauders. He knew he wouldn't find her in the Common Room. Maybe the whole search for her was stupid. All these years he kept going after her and she kept running away. Maybe it truly wasn't some game she was playing. Maybe Lily really did just want to be left alone.

Walking towards the deserted hallway outside the cheery Great Hall, James shrugged at Remus, disheartened. "If I don't come back in twenty minutes, I want you and Sirius in the Forbidden Forest searching and Peter, you in the library." His friends only nodded worriedly as James continued walking out the door. He sure didn't feel like finishing dinner after this and knew Sirius would save him Treacle Tart for later in the Shrieking Shack when the Marauders would celebrate the completion of a Fifth Year at Hogwarts.

Sighing, James slipped into the shadows of the hallway and racked his brains for spots Lily would go. Slughorn's office for a Slug Club party, perhaps? No, he was at the feast and Lily didn't like those. A stroll up on the astronomy tower? Not likely, as Lily didn't enjoy the wind in her hair as much as he did. Maybe even the Prefect's Bathroom? It didn't really matter either way. It was unlikely she would want to talk to him even if he did manage to find her.

"James, wait!" Alice's voice came behind him, bursting through the eerie silence.

Turning, he saw the smaller girl running towards him, wearing an expression that was an odd mix between guilt and worry. "James!"

"What, Alice?" He wasn't in the mood for games.

"I know where Lily is!" she huffed, slowing to a stop next to him. James heart jumped. "She's out on the grounds right now. She wanted to be alone."

"Then why are you telling me this?" James asked, confused. He and Alice had never been close.

"Because she needs someone right now," Alice said softly, looking at James piercingly.

"Then why don't you go?"

"Because, James," Alice looked pained. "She needs you more than me right now. Don't ask me why or how, but please, just go find her."

James nodded slowly, looking at Alice in a whole new light. "Thanks."

"Literally-don't mention it," Alice gave a short smile as she headed back into the hall.

Turning, James began to stride out the hall, hesitant at first, but gaining confidence with every step. Since when did he consider giving up on Lily Evans? He was James Potter, for Merlin's sake. And if Lily didn't want him there, then he'd just keep trying. Because sometimes, for someone really special, trying and failing is always better than never trying at all.

* * *

><p>Severus Snape had been lauded with congratulatory slaps on the back and nods of approval all day long. The fact that he had been outmatched and nearly killed by two Gryffindors had been forgotten among the "achievement" of leaving behind his muggleborn friend for good. It had been a feat that not even Avery could convince Snape to perform. The titled "Death Eaters" truly had to thank James Potter for this one.<p>

The grounds were calm and peaceful at dusk on their last day of Fifth Year. And it was here that Severus stood, his black cloak wrapped around him as he searched for what he hoped could still be his best friend in the approaching darkness. Inwardly, he still cursed himself. Allowing that word to slip from his mouth was unforgivable. Lily hadn't done anything to deserve that. However, Sev had a hard time being able to forget the cool insult that came out of her mouth as well.

_She was just hurt, you moron,_ Severus told himself. _And she insulted Potter, too. She was mad at the both of us. _Fifth Year had been difficult for the red-head and her Slytherin friend. James was maturing up enough to start behaving around Lily and she had noticed. She believed her quick glances at the Marauder in class and the flush around her cheeks when she talked to him would've gone unnoticed but Sev knew. He knew because he was the one watching her when she wasn't looking.

Unfortunately, James had only matured enough for her and a few others. To Snape, he was the same idiotic moron that he always had been. It was too bad Lily stopped believing that as much. James was egotistical, bigheaded and full of undeserved confidence. Why did she stop seeing that? Severus quickly pushed away the natural answer.

Severus began to walk again, around the edge of the forest and peering at nearby shrubbery and trees that his best friend, if she still was that, could be hiding in. All he needed was to talk to her, to apologize. He didn't want to be a "Death Eater" anymore. That much he knew. Sev didn't care what it cost him, but his best friend meant more to him than the supposed "Dark Lord".

Suddenly, he spotted an abnormal form jutting out from a tree along the bank of the lake. The fiery red hair glinted in the moonlight that filtered through the branches and lit up the sky. It was the same tree that Snape had been hung from by Black. Of course she would come here. He couldn't believe he hadn't guessed it earlier. Severus slid behind the nearest tree and peeked out behind it, hoping not to be seen until he was absolutely ready. What should he say? How should he start? What if she refused to believe him?

_Well Sev, _he thought to himself, _You just have to go for it. Go out there and beg for her forgiveness. _Severus took a deep breath and stepped out from behind the tree, ready to tell Lily the truth and beg for her forgiveness, whether she wanted it or not. He just had to go for it. He had learned what it was like to lose her today and he could never, ever feel like that again.

"Lily?" a sudden voice cut through the air. Looking to his right, Severus saw a dark figure making its way over the grounds, capes billowing behind it. With a soft curse, Sev jumped behind the tree once more, his heart thudding, hoping he hadn't been seen.

"Lily? Is that you?" It came again, floating over the barely concealed sniffling.

"What do you want?" he heard Lily ask miserably and with a sinking heart, Severus realized who the dark shape hurtling from the school had been.

"Potter…" he muttered angrily, peering out from behind the giant oak. As the figure got closer, Severus could make out the glasses that gleamed in the moonlight and the characteristic silhouette of Potter's continuously messy hair.

"We've been looking everywhere for you, Evans! I've spent the last half an hour combing the grounds!" his voice ripped through the silence, causing Sev to flinch a little himself. He hadn't expected the anger in Potter's voice, or even the obvious worry that laced his words.

"No one asked you to do that," her muffled voice still carried to where Severus watched.

He saw Lily just bury her head in her knees and felt a small triumph as James looked let down. She sat with her back against a tree, staring at the grass below her as James came to a stop next to her. "You could've been killed," Potter continued, gesturing around him. "My lord, I even sent Sirius and Remus into the Forest."

"You didn't," Lily said threateningly.

"Did too," James responded coolly in a way that made Snape roll his eyes. Classic Potter.

"Why do you even care?" she suddenly yelled out. "Why didn't you just leave me here?" Snape smiled from behind his hideaway.

"Because we're your friends," James answered in a strangled voice, causing Severus's smile to melt away.

_Come on, Lily, _he thought to himself, biting his lower lip. _Tell the worthless git he's wrong. That you've got a true friend and that he's not it. Go on, tell him!_

"I have no friends," Lily finally answered.

"Well of course you bloody don't if you act like this all the time!" James exclaimed. Snape raised his eyebrows in surprise. Lily never let anyone talk back to her.

"Act like what, James?" Lily threw her hands down on the ground. "Upset because I lost my best friend?" Severus flinched. "Sick and tired of your stupid games? Fed up with you and the pranks that somehow charm everyone else at this school?" She stood, letting the pulled grass fall as she opened her hands and pointed accusingly at James.

"I am sick of this, Potter. I am sick of the nonsense and the games and everything in-between. You are _not_ my friend!" Sev's heart fell as the silhouette of James's shoulders sank. "I don't have any friends."

For a sliver of a moment, Severus felt pity for James as it was the same pity he felt for himself. _Well Potter, _Sev thought as Lily turned with a sigh and began to walk back towards the school, _Maybe its right this way. Maybe its right that neither of us got her. _

Brushing his hair out of his eyes, Severus stared at the still figure of Potter, watching Lily Evans walk away. For a moment, they weren't so different.

"Oi, Evans!" Potter suddenly shouted waving his hand and running after her.

"What are you doing, Potter?" Sev muttered to himself as he crept along in the forest and kept watching. "You're just walking into more trouble."

"Evans! Don't walk away from me like that!"

Lily whipped around. "And why should I listen to you?"

"You're tired of my games and pranks?" Severus saw James point a finger accusingly at Lily. "Well I'm tired of you too! Of the fact that Ive always reached out to you and you've always pushed me away; that you only see the bad in everything that I do!"

"Well maybe you deserve it!" Lily yelled, stamping her foot into the ground.

"Well I'm sick of your bossiness and your know-it-all attitude," James accused. "I'm tired of you walking around the school like you are so much more enlightened than everyone else and that any other fun other than studying is beneath the pristine Lily Evans."

With a shout of anger, Snape saw Lily push James in the chest.

James only chuckled. "I've played quidditch for four years now, Evans. Do you really think that little shove could knock me over?"

"I was hoping your big head would lend me a hand," she retorted.

"Touche," James smiled. In the trees, Snape scowled.

For a moment there was a silence across the grounds as Lily stared at her shoes, James ruffled his hair and Severus held his breath.

Then, "It's getting cold." James' statement came off more like a question than a statement.

"Its May," Lily said back, looking up. "This is the farthest from cold it's been in six months."

"Never mind," James muttered, taking his turn to observe his shoes.

Sev didn't understand. Lily never stood for anyone calling her out or talking back to her. That was her first standard. But Potter she always bent the rules for. Even now.

"Look…" James took a deep breath before continuing. "I know I can be a prick."

In the trees, Sev snorted.

"But I do care about you, in some weird lunatic sort of way." James shrugged and Lily glanced up. "I feel…responsible for you."

"Responsible for me?" Lily's voice was indignant.

"Merlin, Evans, don't jump on me for saying something nice."

"I'm sorry… Just continue."

James sighed. "All I meant was, I want to be your friend. If you'll let me that is."

Lily paused for a moment. Sev held his breath. "And why should I accept your offer?"

"Well…" James ruffled his hair uncomfortably. "Perhaps because even though you piss me off I always come running back to apologize? Or that I'm remarkably handsome and all the girls love me and yet I keep wanting you?"

"But don't you see those are all reasons centered around you?" Lily's voice didn't sound angry, just truthful. Severus crept up closer to the forest line to watch closer. He knew if he was caught, they would both kill him but he had to know.

"Look, Lily, I'm trying," James said beseechingly. "If you don't want my friendship, then don't take it. But I'm trying to reach you."

"So tell me why."

"Because…Because!" James threw his hands up in frustration. "Because that's what I do! Sirius was a blood traitor, Remus was a werewolf and Peter an outcast. But I wanted to befriend them because they're great people. Now _you_-"

He pointed a finger at her accusingly.

"You're just as bad. Conceited, picky and a tease. But you're lonely… And sad sometimes. And right now, without anybody to turn too. Is it so bad to extend a hand of friendship to someone in need."

Silence.

Sev sat with widened eyes. In that instant, he had never hated…nor liked…Potter more. He was arrogant and a bully and a snob, but maybe, just maybe, a hint kind hearted as well.

"Okay."

James' eyes widened, Severus took a step back.

"Okay." Lily's voice was thick. "Lets be friends."

James stuck out his hand. "Shake on it?"

From the shadows, Sev's heart sank as he watched Lily's hand hesitantly put hers in Potter's.

"Come on," he told her, grabbing Lily's hand more tightly and turning towards the castle. "Lets go tell the others you're okay."

Lily sniffled and let somebody else lead her for a change, something she only seemed to ever let James Potter do.

"So later the guys and I are celebrating in the Shrieking Shack. Would you want to come? I know it's a little last minute and maybe you're…" James voice faded into the distance.

And just like that…Severus finally lost his best friend.

* * *

><p>The whole walk back to the castle had been numbing. Sev didn't even care if he was caught anymore. He had lost Lily. And it was his entire fault. His and Potters. Deep in the pit of his stomach, he felt a hard anger settling into his mind and soul.<p>

That morning, they had been talking and laughing before exams. That afternoon, he was ready to go against Avery to win her back just because of a few hours of silence. Tonight, he lost her to some pretty words from Potter in less than the time it took him to fall asleep. And he knew, he just _knew_, that this time he wasn't getting her back.

His feet slapped against the stones of the dungeons as he made his way to the Common Room. Severus Snape knew what he was going to do.

"Avery." His voice sounded like steel as he found the blond boy sitting in his usual armchair among friends.

"Snape," Avery greeted, turning his slitted eyes towards him. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Sign me up," Snape panted, the steel in his stomach starting to boil. "For that new mission. I want in. I want to be a Death Eater."

**THANKS FOR READING. PLEASE REVIEW AND LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU TRULY THOUGHT! I WILL PERSONALLY RESPOND TO ALL THESE REVIEWS.**


	6. Lily Thanked James

**HERE IS A ONE-SHOT SET IN THEIR THIRD YEAR AT SCHOOL. I LIKED STICKING AWAY FROM THE ROMANCE OF LILY AND JAMES AND FOCUSING MORE ON FRIENDSHIP AND BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS. THIS ONE CAME TO ME QUICKLY AND I HOPE YOU ENJOY IT.**

**A/N: I AM GOING TO MARK THIS STORY AS COMPLETED SINCE TECHNICALLY EACH CHAPTER STANDS ON ITS OWN AND ITS NOT AN ONGOING PLOT BUT I PROMISE, ITS NOT COMPLETE. EXPECT MORE CHAPTERS SOON!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. These characters are the sole production of J.K. Rowling and I take no credit in their creation.**

"_So there is a relationship?" Alice raised her eyebrows._

"_No, that's not what I meant!" Lily exclaimed, sitting up frustrated. "James Potter is an arrogant toerag who thinks he rules this school with his silly little gang. I would never, not ever, even think of him in that way even if he continues to ask me out everyday until graduation."_

"_James Potter asks you out?" Emmeline asked in awe. Lily nearly groaned as she flopped backwards. Of course that was all they got from the conversation._

**THE FIRST TIME…Lily thanked James.**

"And once again, I have you beat James Potter," Lily announced triumphantly, holding up her potions exam in James's disgruntled face. "Gone for three days and still holding my position as top of the class." Next to her, Sev smiled at her success.

Sirius began to clap rather slowly, drawing the attention of a couple other students nearby. "Congratulations, Lily Flower," he smiled charmingly. "It always is such a good feeling when you beat us at something we could care less about."

Lily scowled and faced forward again, leaving the snickering Marauders at her back. "Never mind them, Lil," Sev told her with a grin. "They're just sore that you beat them fair and square."

Lily smiled. "Nothing can get my mood down today, Sev. Coming back to Hogwarts after vacation feels great, even though Christmas is over." She bumped him with a wink. "And it's nice to see you again too."

"Good job, Lily," Alice Wright whispered back to Lily so that she missed Severus's pleased blush.

"Thanks," Lily whispered back as Slughorn started talking. Her fellow Gryffindor gave her one last smile before she turned around towards her partner, Marlene McKinnon, again.

Lily had never been close with the other girls in her year. They were obsessed with boys and Quidditch and most of all, James Potter. Everything that wasn't up her alley. She had to admit it was lonely sometimes. Its not like Sev could join her for dinner, or for late night studying in the Common Room. Besides him, she really had no other friends. Lily was known to be more of the studious type than the social.

However, Alice Wright had been extending a hand of friendship lately ever since Lily helped her with a difficult Charms piece before Christmas break. And Lily liked it. It was rare she got along with a girl her age but Alice was kind with a streak of spirit and fairness that Lily appreciated in a sea of thirteen-year-old girls. She always left their encounters with a smile. It just felt nice to be…normal…for a change.

"…and the exam will take place next Wednesday," Slughorn finished as Lily broke out of her reverie. "Any questions?" The class was silent, the eagerness to leave thick in the air. "Then you're free to go."

Exclamations of delight were audible as books and cauldrons scraped into bags and over to the other side of the classroom as the Slytherins and the Gryffindors were allowed to go early.

"What should we do with our free time?" Severus asked excitedly, as he and Lily made their way from the classroom. "You haven't been the library since you came in last night. We could go there?"

Lily laughed. "Calm down, I have the rest of the year to visit the library. We could…visit the astronomy tower?"

"Sounds like a plan." Sev grinned and the two were off. "How was the trip anyways?"

"Wonderful," Lily hummed. "Petunia spent most of it sulking but mum and dad were lovely to see again. I'm just glad Dumbledore allowed me to stay the few extra days with them. France was beautiful, even though it is winter."

"You're one of the school's best students. Of course he would let you stay." Lily smiled. "It was lonely without you," he told her suddenly, shrugging his hands in his pockets.

"I know," she nudged him with her hip. "But I'm back now and that's all that matters."

"So tell me how you do it." Snape turned around with a smile and walked backwards while looking at her. "Tell me how you manage to get the top mark in a class where you missed the last three days lectures we needed to know for the surprise exam."

Lily only mimed closing her lips and said, "My lips are sealed, Sev."

"Its probably because Slughorn loves you," her best friend pointed out.

"Hey!" Lily exclaimed playfully, pushing him. "It might just be that I'm smart."

"That too." Severus grinned.

"We understand you got top marks, Lily, but do you really have to go shove it in everyone's faces all the time?" Sirius's bored drawl came from behind her.

James and Sirius had crawled out of a tapestry behind Lily while a distracted Remus followed, making detailed notes on a piece of parchment. Mary and Marlene, two other girls in Lily's year, followed, wearing proud smiles to be with the Marauders.

"How'd you know that passageway was there?" Lily asked accusingly, turning and stopping at their entrance.

"My lips are sealed," Sirius mocked her voice with a smirk.

Lily scowled in fury and Severus grabbed her elbow. "Come on, Lil. No need to deal with these idiots your first day back."

The redhead turned her back on the posse with all the anger she could, but her eyes still burned with shame. Not at the usual teasing of the Marauders but the smirks she saw on Mary and Marlene's faces. For as much as James and Sirius cared to overlook it, she was still a teenage girl with feelings and knowing that people other than Marauders thought her weird was hard for anyone to ignore.

"Why are they always such pricks?" Severus sighed as they climbed the stairs to the astronomy tower.

"Its in their blood?" Lily suggested sullenly.

Noticing her mood, Severus put an arm around her shoulder and said, "Cheer up, Lily. After this we can skip lunch and walk out to the lake, just the two of us?"

Lily nodded with a half-hearted smile, but her mind was somewhere else.

"She has to be the strangest Gryffindor I've ever seen," Marlene said, crossing her arms as the group Lily and Severus left behind headed to an early lunch. "She never talks with any of the girls even though we've been living together for two and a half years."

"And trust me, all she ever does is study," Mary added, looking at James sweetly.

"When she's not hanging out with that Slytherin, you mean," Marlene added with a giggle.

"Lily's a very nice girl," Remus chimed in softly, not lifting his nose from the paper. It was the first time he had spoken since they had left Potions and it left everyone a little quieter, especially James. He knew he should've been the one to utter that line but somehow, he couldn't make himself.

"She may be nice to you, Remus," Marlene said, "But she sure doesn't show it to the rest of us. Isn't that right, James? She's always going after you, as if she has some personal vendetta."

James only mumbled to the ground, feeling Remus's glaring eyes upon him. "Hey now," Sirius interjected, feeling the atmosphere strain, "Let's not let Lily ruin a nice lunch together, aye girls?"

"You're right." Mary smiled and batted her eyes at Sirius. "Its not worth it to discuss her."

Marlene looked a little more disgruntled to drop the subject, as she watched James with interest but quickly moved on when Sirius smiled at her and beckoned her to sit next to him.

"James…" Remus began as the two sat a bit away from the other three.

"I know, I know, Mooney," James held up his hands in defense. "I don't need a another lecture about Lily, okay?"

Remus looked a little put out but nodded. "I'm getting closer to finishing the map. You and Sirius keep on top of discovering those passageways, okay?"

"Hey James, Remus," Alice Wright dropped in, nodding to each of them in turn. "How grueling was Slughorn's grading on that exam?"

"I didn't do too bad." Remus perked up at the talk of school. "But yes, I would say it was more intense than his usual expectation on the short answer."

"How great for Lily though that she got such a high score," Alice gushed as Frank Longbottom sat with a smile next to her.

"Yes, that's great for her," Remus acknowledged politely before kicking James under the table.

He nearly dropped his fork. "Ye-yeah, its great," James chimed in quickly.

Alice sighed. "I just wish she talked more. I would love to get to know her, I just feel like she pushes all the girls and I away."

"Just give her time," Frank chimed in, mouth full. James looked down, disgusted. "Its not like you all have been particularly nice to her the last three years."

The two Marauder's perked up at this news. "What do you mean?" James asked.

Alice looked embarrassed but Frank nudged her across the table to go on. "Just the usual, I guess," she said sullenly. "The other girls took her silence more as snobbery than shyness I would say."

"Hogsmeade trips without her, being the only one left out of hanging out in the Common Room, taunts about how well she does on her exams," Frank added pointedly. Alice blushed. "For instance, I know the girls are having a sleepover tonight after Lily falls asleep."

"I'm not usually the culprit," the small girl insisted. "Its usually Marlene that starts it."

"It doesn't seem like Lily would care," Remus stated softly, putting down his quill, as James stayed silent. "She has Snape and doesn't seem to want anyone else."

"Yes, Remus, but she's a girl," Alice pointed out exasperated. "Every girl, no matter how much they pretend not to, cares about what her peers think about her. Including Lily."

Remus looked at James curiously as Alice and Frank launched into a different discussion. "You're thinking," he observed quietly. And indeed, James was.

Part of him felt that Lily's isolation was his own fault. That first day, he had set her out against him and Sirius and indirectly the Marauders and everyone they came in contact with. He felt responsible for her sole friendship with Snivellus. He had essentially pushed her straight into Snape's arms. But never until now would James have thought Lily ever wanted something different. He was a teenaged boy, and therefore, never thought of anything beyond his next meal, let alone the feelings of Lily Evans.

"James, are you alright?" Remus asked.

"Yeah," he muttered, picking at his food. "Just thinking."

"Well I think you need to take care of the situation between the girls and Lily," the young werewolf declared quietly so that Alice and Frank couldn't hear.

James's eyes shot up from his plate to glare at Remus. "Me? This isn't my fault."

Remus rolled his eyes, unusual for the rather mature Third Year. "James, don't tell me you don't see your part in this?"

"Would you like to inform me of it?" James asked scathingly, his mood growing fouler as he heard Sirius and the girls giggle from farther down the table.

"Look, not to pump your ego, but for our Year you've become a sort of…role model? Is that the right word?" Remus paused momentarily to think. "Not maybe a role model, but a charmer and a popular guy and someone these girls all like to fawn over together. They adore you, James."

James tried not to smile and failed. "What?" he said, smirking at Lupin's annoyed expression. "Its not like I can help that."

"Yes, you can," his friend said exasperated, setting down his fork. "You flirt with every girl that walks by, flaunt your brain and your Quidditch skills, and spend most of your free time thinking of pranks to make people laugh. You die for their attention."

James only grumbled.

"I'm not trying to chastise you," Remus said, suddenly sounding weary. "I just want you to realize that by teasing Lily and antagonizing her, you're allowing the others to do the same."

A pit formed in James stomach as he let his friend's words sink in. Was it true? Was he partially the reason the girls never reached out to Lily? As Peter arrived hurriedly, Remus lost his attention in James, leaving the Chaser to think about the newfound guilt he discovered in his stomach. He never meant the pranks and jokes against her in anything more than passing, or a way to get her attention, but James had never thought of how others could take it. He had divided the Gryffindors they knew into two sides, his and Lily's. Until now, he hadn't even realized that everybody was on his.

"Excuse me," James said, getting up from the table clumsily. "Ooops, sorry Alice. I just need to go…finish something." The others only looked amused as he jogged from the hall but James knew what he had to do. Get Lily back in with the other girls. But how?

"Hey Marlene wait up!"

James jogged up to join the blond haired Gryffindor as she walked back to the tower after supper that night. "I hear you girls are having a sleepover tonight."

Marlene immediately smiled. "Why? Did you want to join us?"

James had to use all his willpower to resist rolling his eyes at her flirty suggestion. "No, that's alright. I was more just wondering if Lily could join in."

The charm slid right off Marlene's face as if someone had slapped her. "Why do you care what she does?"

James shifted uncomfortably in his shoes. When he had seen Marlene get up to leave, he had followed spontaneously, not even thinking through what he was doing until this moment. "I…er…I owe her a favor." He dug a finger into his robe collar and pulled it away nervously from his suddenly heated neck.

"A favor?" Marlene's blue eyes narrowed as the skeptical words fell from her mouth.

"Yeah, a favor," James said uncomfortably. Why had he done this! "Like with homework."

"I've never seen Lily help you with your homework," she raised her eyebrows suspiciously. James wanted to curse. He never anticipated Marlene to be smarter than a flowerpot.

"Look, Marlene, the point is that Lily should join in on the sleepover," James nearly begged.

The other girl paused for a moment, examining James with an annoyance she never wore when she was about him. "What makes you think Lily would want to come?"

"Marlene, could you please just ask? For me?" James smiled and touched her gently on the shoulder, trying a new approach. Mooney did say they adored him. "I don't want to see all you girls at war. Just as a favor, could please you ask?"

Marlene bit her lip and looked at the hand on her shoulder. Then suddenly she smiled coyly. "I will ask her-."

"Thank you." James felt the relief flood into his stomach.

"-But only if you take me on the Hogsmeade trip," Marlene finished triumphantly.

James's momentarily soaring spirit fell. Lily Evans really was going to be the death of him. Marlene tapped her foot impatiently as James thought it over. Well, he'd already gotten in this deep; he might as well follow through.

With a groan, "Only if Lily actually participates in the sleepover."

Marlene stuck out her manicured hand and grinned. "Do we have a deal?"

James shook it quickly with a small sigh. "Now go ask her."

"See you on tomorrow at Hogsmeade!" she exclaimed, delighted, and rushed up the stairs.

"Well, I've done a good thing," James mumbled to himself disheartened. Why did he always feel the need to interfere in Lily Evan's life? That redhead made his head spin and he didn't know why. Shaking his head, James headed back to join his friends in the Great Hall. At least now Remus would stop staring at him pointedly and for a moment, James Potter's conscious was clear. Where a certain red head was concerned at least.

Lily was terrified. The kind of terrified that came with sweating and begging and feeling absolutely sick to one's stomach. And Lily Evans wasn't often terrified. "Sev, please go tell them I'm sick," she begged as she and the Slytherin neared the Common Room. "Or that I hit my head and went to the infirmary…or...or a snake bit me and I'm bleeding to death! Anything. Please!"

"Its not like I can go in there and plead your case," her friend pointed out sourly. He looked about as happy at the idea of some girl "sleepover" as she did in the chilly January corridor.

"I feel nauseous," Lily groaned, clutching at her stomach with every step closer to the Gryffindor Tower. Why did she have to agree to this? Seems as if Sev was thinking along the same lines as his next question hung in the air.

"Why did you say yes?" Severus pointed out, raising his eyebrows.

"Its not like I could have said no!" Lily defended angrily. "I would still have to sleep in the room whether they have one or not. And plus, when all four of them ask, its hard to find an excuse not to! They're all just standing there staring at me with big smiles and perfumed hair." Lily put her face in her hands.

Sev sighed as the Fat Lady came into sight. "Well just keep breathing and hope for the best, I guess."

"Keep breathing?" Lily's voice was scathing. "What kind of advice is that?"

"Some that will keep you alive," she heard him mutter. Lily only rolled her eyes.

"Well," she said, slowing and hoping a miracle would occur. "I guess I will see you in the morning….at least we hope."

Severus shrugged. "Just don't come out of there and forget me."

Lily smiled and put her hand on his shoulder reassuringly. "I could never forget you, Sev."

He only gave her a quick smile before turning and vanishing back into the corridors, wearing an expression as dark as she felt. Lily mumbled a quick password to the Fat Lady and stepped into the cheery Common Room where Gryffindors of all ages were hanging around in clusters, enjoying their Friday night and the reprieve from homework. The upcoming Hogsmeade trip was the next day and everyone who was a Third Year or older was buzzing with anticipation.

"You can do this, Lily," she continued to mutter to herself as she rubbed her sweaty palms against her robes and wove through the crowds. "It will be breeze. You can go to sleep early and it will all be fine. You can do this."

As she reached the stairs for the Girl's Dormitory, she noticed that James Potter was watching her with special interest from his usual place by the fire. It was odd that the rest of the Marauders weren't with him but Lily didn't feel it was the time to question it. Full of enough nerves as it was, she stuck her tongue out quickly at him and raced up the stairs, leaving the rest of Gryffindor House gladly behind.

When she opened her door, she was alone. The others hadn't come up yet and it gave Lily time to pull her hair back into a ponytail and throw on pajamas. As she continued to wait, she began to worry that perhaps this had been some big prank. It _was _unusual of the others to invite her to hang out with them. Maybe they'd never come and Lily would be left waiting all night.

However, just as that startling thought crossed her brain, the dormitory door opened with a bang and the other four girls spilled in with large smiles, arms brimming with food.

"Hey Lily," Alice greeted cheerfully, dumping her armful on her bed like the others. "I hope you weren't waiting long."

"No, not at all," Lily shook her head, suddenly feeling meek and shy.

"We just snuck some food from the kitchens with the help of the Marauders," Mary giggled, shrugging into her pajamas. "They made us all close our eyes but we didn't mind since we ended up with all sorts of deserts."

Indeed they had. The beds were littered with chocolates, treacle tart, pumpkin pasties and other assorted treats.

"And I've been saving the last of my butterbeer stock I smuggled back from Hogsmeade for this exact night!" Emmeline announced excitedly. "There was even an extra, so you can have a bottle too, Lily."

Lily took it shyly, noticing that Emmeline seemed just as shy to give it to her. Emmeline Vance was a quiet girl, but smart and observant. The others liked her purely because she never had a problem with anyone. Lily smiled at her encouragingly and was glad to see a soft smile returned.

"So, ladies, what should we talk about first?" Marlene asked boisterously, jumping on her bed with delight. Everyone but Lily grinned. "I'm nominating…BOYS!"

"Ooo first lets talk about Alice and Frank," Mary teased with a kind smile, noticing Alice's deep blush as she rolled on her stomach. "How long have you been dating now?"

"It'll be a year soon," Alice said, picking at her bedspread, red in the face. "I visited him over Christmas Break a little and met his family."

"Wow that's getting a little serious considering how young we are," Emmeline said, munching on some chocolate frogs.

"I don't think so," Alice declared with a smile. "His mothers a witch though, literally. I walked on the grass on my first day and she nearly had a heart attack that I was 'murdering her precious seedlings'."

Marlene let out a hearty laugh and even Lily had to chuckle. "What about you and Derik, Emmeline? I know he's sweet on you." Alice turned the attention away from herself deftly.

Emmeline flushed scarlet. "Don't get me started on Derik Hughes! The way he follows me around is frustrating to the brink of stalker. He's just not right for me. Derik's much too...serious for me. I need someone who can make me laugh."

"He's a very nice boy," Mary suggested, throwing Marlene some pumpkin pasties.

"Yeah, but not the boy I want," she said dreamily, staring up at the ceiling. Marlene snorted.

"Yeah, we all know what boy you want," Mary teased. "Please, we all want him. Except maybe Alice." Lily had no idea who they were talking about.

"James Potter," Emmeline said with a smile. "I would give anything for that boy to talk to me."

"Or even look twice at me," Mary said. Lily nearly rolled her eyes. It was…James for Merlin's sake. She couldn't believe Mary was taken in by his ignorant attitude. My, my, tonight was looking worse every moment.

"James is quite the charmer," Alice agreed and Marlene nodded vigorously.

"Oh Lily, I wish James looked at me like he does at you," Emmeline said kindly. Lily felt her heart twist as eight pairs of eyes jumped her way.

"M-me?" She nearly choked on her treacle tart.

"Yes, you." Alice rolled her eyes with a grin. "He stares at you all the time in class."

"And in the hallways, and at dinner, and during quidditch matches, and pretty much every other time of the day," Mary listed off matter-of-factly. Then she smiled kindly at Lily, whose blood had drained from her face. "Do you like him too?"

Marlene snorted from across the room. "Its obvious how Lily feels." Lily looked up at Marlene, who had been rather silent so far. She had left her blonde hair fluttering about her shoulders and she brushed back showily as the room's attention turned to her. "What?" she asked indignantly at her friend's pointed glares. "It is! They're constantly bickering and fighting. I even heard she slapped him once."

"I'm right here in case you've forgotten," Lily pointed out, all her shyness disappearing in rising anger. "And my relationship with James is of no business of yours."

"So there is a relationship?" Alice raised her eyebrows.

"No, that's not what I meant!" Lily exclaimed, sitting up frustrated. "James Potter is an arrogant toerag who thinks he rules this school with his silly little gang. I would never, not ever, even think of him in that way even if he continues to ask me out everyday until graduation."

"James Potter asks you out?" Emmeline asked in awe. Lily nearly groaned as she flopped backwards. Of course that was all they got from the conversation. Thank Merlin James wasn't here to witness this. His head would grow three times even bigger.

"I've heard it before," Alice reported, winking at Lily. "Several times in fact."

"You're lucky," Mary said wistfully, propping her chin on her hands.

"Yeah, well, I'm the one with a date with James Potter tomorrow so I don't think that means much anymore," Marlene suddenly said across the room.

Lily's head shot up as the other girls eyebrows skyrocketed. "And you're just telling us this?" Alice said incredulously. "Congratulations!"

"Oh my Merlin, that's amazing," Mary shrieked, running over to hug her friend. "You go, girl! Do what we cant!"

Lily couldn't understand the feeling in her stomach as Marlene received awed admiration from the other girls. James with Marlene? Lily didn't like her much. _Well maybe that means they may be perfectly matched, _she thought scathingly. But then again, James was always…hers, in a way? _Merlin, Lily, don't think like that, _she scolded herself, shaking her head.

Looking over, she saw Alice watching her curiously and Lily gave her a weak smile. "He asked me after dinner. I nearly died! We haven't decided what we're going to do yet but I'm sure it will be fun," Marlene gushed. Lily felt Marlene's eyes slip over to hers with every sentence, as if proving a point that James's was hers. _Does she really think I'm a threat?_ Lily almost snorted. Maybe she was imagining things. There's no reason why anyone would ever think her and James were a good match. _But the others did, _a little voice in her mind whispered softly. Lily's stomach turned at the thought.

"Good for you, Marlene," Lily said, clearing her throat. The blond smiled in a way that made Lily think she'd just won some sort of competition.

"Is he going to kiss you?" Emmeline asked, reddening in the cheeks as the question hung in the air.

"If he doesn't, I'll kiss him," Marlene stated, making a big kissy face. "Right on the lips and I wont let him escape." The others burst into shrieks of laughter.

"Excuse me," Lily suddenly announced, sliding off the bed. She suddenly didn't feel well again. "I'm going to go get some water." Alice nodded, as the others were too preoccupied, asking Marlene about her kissing experience.

"Hurry back," she said with a smile, though Lily felt her careful gaze as she almost jogged from the dormitory.

Lily needed to get out of that room as soon as she could. It was everything she feared it would be. But Marlene's declaration about her date with James had made her chest hurt for some reason and she couldn't place why. How she hated being thirteen…

Padding down the steps to the Common Room, Lily noticed that most of the others had drifted off to their dorms by this time. Only a few figures remained by the cackling fire. Just by luck, one of them was James Potter. "Great," Lily said, feeling her nauseas fade away as she caught sight of his glinting glasses. Giggles drifted down from the dorms above and suddenly, Lily was filled with her usual opinionated, stubborn self.

"Why are you going on a date with Marlene McKinnon?" she blurted out as she marched over to James and drew the looks of several Seventh Years standing by the portrait hole. Potter looked up with shocked eyes, his mouth immediately dropping open and trying to form a response.

"Lily…What are you doing down- How did you find out about-?" he tried to splutter out.

"So its true," she confirmed, crossing her arms and holding her ground. "You really were low enough to fall for that blonde's clumsy flirting. And to think I thought even for a moment you might have better taste than that."

"No, wait, you don't understand, I haven't fallen for her-," James tried to protest. For a moment, the firelight flickered so that she could see his eyes. They were truthful and pleading and Lily felt her heart twist. She wanted to punch it.

"I always thought you knew better," she told him scathingly. "And now I've had to sit and listen to her talk about it all night long because I'm at a sleepover. That's right, Potter, and I don't need your jokes about it. I'm at a sleepover."

"I know," he managed to say. Lily's half-begun eye roll suddenly halted to stare at the young Quidditch Chaser.

"How did you know?" she asked, confused.

He sighed, ruffling his hair as he leaned back into the couch cushions looking weary. "Look, Lily…" He trailed off. Lily made a face that indicated her impatience at his pause. With a sigh, James continued heavily. "I heard about it at dinner today. And I just thought you would want to go…. So I asked Marlene to ask-."

"Woah, wait," Lily interrupted him, her eyes narrowing. "You thought I would want to go to a sleepover."

"Look, Evans, can you not jump down my throat at everything that comes out of my mouth just this once," James sighed wearily. Lily closed her mouth and pursed her lips, anger coursing through her veins. How dare James invade her personal life!

"Anyways," he drew out, giving her an annoyed glare, "I asked Marlene if she would ask you because I thought you would want to be included. And she said she would ask you if I went with her on the Hogsmeade trip tomorrow."

"So you said yes?" Lily said incredulously, sitting down next to him.

James groaned. "I hope it's worth it up there, Evans. Because tomorrow's a wasted Hogsmeade trip for me."

"But…why?" Lily spluttered. Why would James do such a thing for her? What would possibly make him sacrifice his day in Hogsmeade just so that she could spend a night of torture with the girls in her dorm?

"Its…complicated." James blew out air and sagged into the couch. "Just never mind why. Its over and done with. We've both been consigned to our fates."

Lily sagged next to him, her shoulder brushing his. For a moment they sat in silence, staring at the fire and breathing deeply.

"What's it like up there?" James asked suddenly, turning to face her. Lily could see her red hair lit up by the flames and watched as he quickly became distracted by it.

"Girl's secret," she told him, not unkindly. James gave a small smile and for a moment, Lily didn't hate him.

"Girls never cease to confuse me," he breathed with a sigh.

"Tell me about it," Lily agreed. James looked at her and grinned. For some reason she couldn't help, Lily grinned back.

But then suddenly she remembered who she was and whom she was talking to. "Well, I should be getting back on up there or they'll be suspecting something's wrong."

"Okay," James said as Lily stood. "I would ask you out but I'm afraid someone's already taken that question for today."

For the first time, Lily smiled at his annoying pestering of her to date him. She turned and wrapping her robe around her, headed towards the stairs.

"Hey and Evans," James shouted after her. Lily turned back around with impatient eyebrows. "If Marlene gives you any trouble, just tell her I'm a great kisser and that you know from experience."

Lily just shook her head and smiled. "Thanks, James."

"No problem," he grinned back. And Lily raced back up the stairs.

The rest of the night was spent with hair braiding and giggling and lots and lots of chocolate. By the time she had returned to the room, the subject had turned from James to school, a subject Lily was very familiar with. The girls greeted her warmly, except maybe Marlene, and Lily immediately felt much better about the sleepover. And when Marlene started on James again, Lily quickly mentioned that he had bumped into him while getting water and he had told her all about how he asked her out. The others awed how sweet that was of him, but as Marlene made sullen eye contact with Lily, she could tell that the redhead knew the truth. Her disguised attacks stopped after that and Lily could finally breathe a little easier. After Marlene backed down, getting to know the others slowly grew on Lily.

Mary loved Transfiguration and had a thing for Care of Magical Creatures, which she had taken up this year. She was a half-blood, her magic threading down from her father. Alice loved Defense Against the Dark Arts, as did Marlene, and both girls were purebloods that had known they were going to Hogwarts since they were born. Emmeline was less quiet once you got to know her and got surprisingly high marks in school. She was a brilliant witch, though she chose to keep quiet about it. Lily felt humbled by that knowledge and decided to keep her grades more to herself and less out of Potter's face after that.

They sang along to Lovelace, the latest young wizard band in the U.K., which caused stamping to occur from the Fourth Year girls above them, and shared stories from when they were growing up. Lily told them about Petunia and her boyfriend, Vernon, and Mary said how her first pet owl, Dodge, had died a week earlier. By the time they turned off the lights and climbed into bed, Lily was smiling. The night hadn't been such a disaster after all. While she hated feeling indebted to James, she was glad to be included at least just this once.

Not even realizing she had drifted off, Lily was woken abruptly by Alice's chipper voice and Mary's jump on her bed. "Wake up, Lily!" the round faced Gryffindor said. "Its time to get you ready for today."

"Five more minutes," Lily groaned, putting a pillow over her head. She had gotten barely any sleep.

"Up, up, up or you're going to miss Hogsmeade," Emmeline insisted, touching Lily's shoulder. Lily blearily opened her eyes and glanced at her muggle alarm clock.

"Its only 7. Breakfast isn't until 8 and Hogsmeade isn't even open until 9!" Lily muttered, shading her eyes against the morning light. Someone had drawn back her curtains.

"But this morning, we've decided to give you and Marlene makeovers," Mary declared. "Marlene, because she has a hot date," she broke off to giggle, "And you because last night was your first sleepover with us and we've never given you one before."

"But I don't want-," Lily tried to protest.

"No choice," Alice interrupted dragging Lily out of bed.

The three girls worked quickly around Lily and Marlene. Alice, who was the least girly, did clothes for the day, raiding Lily's wardrobe and finding a dark green sweater she never wore, slacks, and a pair of small diamond earrings her dad had sent her as an early birthday present. Mary did her makeup, which Lily made her keep simple after much protestation, and Emmeline did her hair.

"You have such beautiful hair, Lily," the dark haired girl sighed as she twisted the red strands around her heated wand, leaving them curled. "It looks like fire. I always secretly wished my hair were red."

"I could never pull it off," Alice said from Marlene's side of the room, where she was dressing the blonde in a cardigan and skirt.

"Me either," Mary said. Lily smiled her gratitude before wincing as the heated wand in Emmeline's hair made contact with her ear.

"Are you excited?" Alice asked Marlene. "For James?"

Marlene nodded, but cast a worried glance at Lily, as if afraid she would speak up and blow her secret at any moment. "How did he ask you again?" Emmeline asked, after chanting a spell to stiffen Lily's curls and hold them.

"Er…" Marlene stumbled. "He just came up after dinner and…er…asked I guess."

"Oh," Mary said, looking put out.

"James said he was looking forward to it," Lily suddenly cleared her throat and spoke up.

"Really?" Alice said, raising her eyebrows.

"Yeah when I ran into him he said that he thinks Marlene's a great girl," Lily continued, crossing her fingers behind her back and hoping no one could tell she was lying. Marlene smiled at her slightly across the room and Lily felt the swell of a doing a good thing in her chest.

"See, he thinks you're great!" Mary squealed, nudging her friend. Emmeline pulled Lily to her feet.

"Well, time for breakfast," Emmeline announced, winking at Marlene. "Just wait until James sees you looking like this!"

The three makeover artists exited the room among tired giggles and compliments on outfit and makeup choices. Soon enough, only Lily and Marlene were left in the dorm.

"You'll do great today," Lily said awkwardly, feeling as though it wasn't her place to offer encouragement to Marlene.

"Thanks," the other girl said shyly. "And…thanks for…you know, not telling the others why he actually asked me."

"Its fine," Lily said, putting her hands in her pockets. "Its our secret."

Marlene smiled. "I'm glad you participated last night."

And after a moments pause, Lily responded truthfully, "So am I."

"Come on, Prongs," Sirius patted his best friend on the back as they exited into the courtyard. "A date with Marlene isn't so bad. She's pretty hot."

"I know," James said sullenly.

"Here she comes," Peter said, pointing towards the castle. Marlene walked out with her hair done up, followed by Emmeline, Mary, Alice and…Lily?

"Hey James," Marlene said breathlessly as she drew closer. But James wasn't focused on her. His sights on fallen on a girl he thought he could recognize anywhere.

"Hey," Lily said quietly when she realized the Marauders were staring.

"What? Its not like I haven't dressed up before!" she declared, suddenly annoyed as she pushed Sirius in the shoulder.

"That's the flower I recognize," he said with a hearty laugh as he took a step back and looked at James. "Man, I remember more and more everyday why you chase her," he whispered lowly to James.

And it was true. Lily looked radiant. Her hair was curled and she was wearing a sweater for once. One that brought out her green eyes. And even though it was January, her hair burned fiery like it was summertime all over again. Remus nudged him and realizing he was staring, James quickly corrected, "Marlene, are you ready?"

The blond Gryffindor smiled sadly and he knew she had caught him staring at Lily. "I actually had a better idea," she said after a pause. "I was thinking maybe we could all hang out together."

The motley crew of Marauders and girls alike all paused in contemplation at the incredulous suggestion. "I just thought that we had only begun to meet Lily," Marlene continued. "Why let Hogsmeade interrupt the making of new friendships?"

Alice smiled and broke the silence. "I think that's wonderful, Marlene. Come on, everyone."

James grinned at the blonde. "You're a great girl, Marlene," he told her genuinely.

"So you've told me," she said, winking back at Lily. Then she moved ahead, swinging her arm through Mary's as they began to walk towards the little village.

"You know, Potter," Lily's voice came behind him. "Marlene really is very nice. You should treat her to a real date."

James raised his eyebrow at the idea as the redhead came up along side him. "Since when did Lily Evans start promoting the cases of fellow Gryffindor girls?"

"Since last night," she answered with a grin, an evident blush streaking her cheeks. "I guess I never really…thanked you for what you did."

James enjoyed waiting for her to continue.

"It was nice to not feel so on the outs and I guess I just wanted to say…thanks," Lily finished, looking determinedly down at the snow that lined the ground.

James grinned. "Well there is one way that would say thanks even more."

"What's that?" she asked skeptically.

"Now that the positions now vacant for my Hogsmeade date again…" James started saucily, wagging his eyebrows.

"Argh, Potter," Lily yelled, covering her ears and running ahead to join the others. "Only in your wildest dreams!"

THANKS FOR READING AND REMEMBER: I AM GOING TO MARK THIS STORY AS COMPLETED SINCE TECHNICALLY EACH CHAPTER STANDS ON ITS OWN AND ITS NOT AN ONGOING PLOT BUT I PROMISE,** ITS NOT COMPLETE. **


	7. James Told Lily He Loved Her

**TURNING AWAY FROM THE FRIENDSHIP AND BACK TO THE ROMANCE—HERE COMES THE NEXT CHAPTER! IVE HAD SOME GREAT ANONYMOUS REVIEWS IN THE PAST WEEK OR SO AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THANKS FOR MAKING ME SMILE. I WISH I COULD THANK YOU PERSONALLY! NOW ENJOY AND REMEMEBR THE STORY ISNT COMPLETE!**

"_It's not going to be easy," he said quietly._

_Lily laughed bitterly. "Nothings ever easy," she said. "That's why I always work so hard. Because life is difficult. But I'm not going to sit back and let this creep ruin my life again. He already took my best friend. I'm not letting him take my boyfriend too. He'll have to go through me first."_

**THE FIRST TIME…James Told Lily He Loved Her**

He didn't think he could ever get used to it. The way she walked next to him without running off and talked to him without her usual glare. But James liked it. And that's all that mattered. Moony kept telling him how lucky he was to have a girl like Lily. One that still challenged him and called him out and felt no shame in insulting him if he deserved it even though they were dating. James kept telling him he knew.

"What do you think this is about?" Lily asked quietly as the Head Boy and Girl walked to the Headmaster's office. From an outside perspective, Lily looked like her usual confident self, head up, eyes ahead, and a brisk stride that had 'get out of my way' written all over it. But she was biting her fingernails. No matter how she tried, the minute her nails went to her teeth, James knew she was nervous.

"I don't know." He blew out a deep breath. "It could be anything, really."

"Have you done anything lately you haven't told me about?" Lily suddenly turned to her boyfriend accusingly.

James held up his hands in defense. "Whoa, there," he said. "I've literally been an angel since Kettleburn threatened to keep me out of the match last week." James had accidentally knocked down some of the gates around the Professor's outside classroom while chasing a loose snitch. The result, which was the Fourth Year's flobberworms escaping into the Forbidden Forest, had left Kettleburn less than pleased.

A moment of silence passed between them as Lily unfurled the parchment in her hand and reread the cryptic writing for the thousandth time since they had received it yesterday afternoon. James had already memorized the words.

_To the Head Boy and Head Girl,_

_I request an audience in my office tomorrow night at 11 p.m. You are to tell no one of your visit and arrive quietly. The password is 'Jelly Slugs'. _

_Dumbledore_

"Why would Dumbledore call us so secretly?" Lily wondered out loud as the signature stone gargoyle appeared in sight. "And why wouldn't he sign more formal? We are just students."

"Could be he just wants to update us on some new school policy," James suggested with a shrug though he knew as well as she did that this wasn't the typical meeting.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Don't be so unimaginative, James."

He snorted. "You're using plenty enough imagination for the both of us, thank you very much." For a moment, Lily shot him a glare. But unlike in years past, it suddenly melted into a genuine smile and James grinned at her.

"Jelly Slugs," Lily instructed the gargoyle as they arrived. A moment's pause as the word hung in the air and then suddenly the grotesque statue stepped aside, revealing a staircase that the two Gryffindors took with an unfounded feeling of trepidation.

James was the one who knocked on the door as he took the stairs two at a time, leaving Lily behind him. He was much more acquainted with the Headmaster's office than Lily due to his years of mischief and marauding. So when the door swung open, James made his way through without the hesitation of his girlfriend. He noticed that Lily still couldn't help but look around in wonder as she followed him inside and James smiled.

Dumbledore was nowhere to be found and as Lily obediently took a seat, James wandered over to where the Headmaster's phoenix, Fawkes, sung softly on his perch. With a grin, James scratched the bird's head as Fawkes cawed appreciatively.

"Isn't that the most beautiful thing you've ever heard," he smiled as Fawkes sang out again.

"James," Lily hissed. "You shouldn't touch his things."

The Head Boy of Hogwarts laughed. "Everyone deserves some love, Lily," he told her, "Including Fawkes the Phoenix."

Lily shook her head but James caught the heavily suppressed smile at his words. He watched as her eyes scanned the room and settled on the Sorting Hat. With a grin, James reached up and grabbed the old hat from the shelf it sat on.

"I wonder what it does all year," James said, feeling the old leather against his calloused Quidditch hands as he flipped it over. This hat had given him some of the most unlikely, but greatest friends, he could ever meet.

"Probably just thinks of new songs to sing for the Start-of-Term Feast," Lily snorted. "Seems a rather sad existence."

"Should I put in on?" James teased as he held the hat hovering above his ruffled hair.

"No!" Lily exclaimed, quickly looking around for Dumbledore to suddenly appear out of the darkened corners.

"Calm down," James laughed, setting the hat back on its shelf. "I've done it before and nothing happens."

"Nothing happens?" Lily asked skeptically, standing up and moving over to the shelf.

"Well…" James looked back up at the hat uneasily. "Sirius said it talked to him but I didn't believe him."

"What did it talk to him about?" Lily asked.

"He said it talked to him about putting him in Gryffindor." James looked down and saw Lily gazing at the hat with a new intensity. "He said it told him it was right to put him where he did," James continued slowly.

There was a moment where the two Heads just sat and looked at the ancient relic. It had lived far longer than they had and seen far dreadful times then they were in currently. A man named Lord Voldemort was on the rise, or so the Daily Prophet said, and James had a feeling things were about to get much worse than anyone anticipated. But this hat here was proof that something always survives.

"Have you ever wondered?" Lily's soft question broke through to James. "About your sorting, I mean? Whether it was right or not?"

James bit his lip. "Not really," he said cautiously, knowing that Lily had. "My whole family's been in Gryffindor. I guess it was always what I expected."

Lily stood on her tiptoes thoughtfully and fingered the worn leather gently. "I used to," she said quietly. "And I believe I'm not alone in that. I think lots of students wonder whether they've been sorted right."

"What do you believe now?" James asked her softly.

She smiled briefly at him and let go of the hat. "I talked with Dumbledore once our Fifth Year," she said. "After that, I stopped doubting as much. But it never fully goes away."

"I think Sirius used to question," James said, leaning against the shelf. "I think Remus and Peter probably still do."

"You're lucky that you always knew," Lily told him with a sigh. Her green eyes locked into his. "Some people just do. Like you and Alice and even that creep Avery."

"Well I think you're the perfect Gryffindor," James told her as he put an arm around her shoulders.

"You're just saying that," she said with a smile.

"I'm not!" he protested. "You're stubborn as hell and stand up for what you believe in, whether its rules or values, against your enemies and your friends. And that's what I like most about you." Lily blushed slightly and James felt his own cheeks flush. "Its what makes you a Gryffindor."

"Well said, Mr. Potter," a soft voice came behind them. Lily and James whipped around. "I'm sorry that I'm late, especially since I called you here so far past your usual curfew."

Lily scrambled back to her seat as Professor Dumbledore stood, smiling, at his desk. James's eyes remained opened with surprise as he made his way to his own chair, eyeing the silvery liquid with suspicion. The Headmaster was like no person he had ever known. Though James knew full well that apparating and disapparating was impossible within Hogwarts's walls, the Professor always seemed to appear right when he was most needed, even though he had been levels away moments earlier.

"Now," Dumbledore said as he placed the bowl into a nearby cabinet and faced them once more. "I want to make clear to you both from the start that what is said in this office tonight is not to be repeated unless you completely trust the person you relate it too."

Lily and James nodded. James wanted more than anything to glance over at his girlfriend to see her reaction to this request but as the thought crossed his mind, Dumbledore looked right at him, as if reading his thoughts. James kept his eyes trained forward as the older man smiled mischievously.

"Tonight you are not students of Hogwarts to me, but a young man and woman who need to know what they're up against in these changing times." The older man sank into his high-backed chair and regarded them seriously through his twinkling half-moon glasses. "I trust you both."

James gripped the handles of his chair. Out of all the times he had been in this office, those were the last words he had anticipated the Headmaster saying. He was James Potter. He had sat in front of Dumbledore for every sort of crime a man could commit in his time at Hogwarts from stink bombs to school evacuation. What would ever give the Headmaster the idea to put him in league with Lily Evans? What kind of meeting was this?

"I'm not going to lie as many would have me do," Dumbledore said frankly as Fawkes cooed. "You are old enough to make your own decisions and the time is fast approaching for you to choose your path." He paused, making James squirm.

"There is a man under the name of Lord Voldemort who is gathering more followers by the hour. While most remain far from our lives, some have already infiltrated these very walls."

At this point, James could no longer resist glancing at Lily, who he was glad to see was looking at him too. She grimaced and he knew they were both thinking of the same person. Snape. And Avery and Mulciber and Travers, James all added as an afterthought. If anyone in this school was up to some Dark Lord monkey business, it was those guys.

"I see this comes as no surprise," Dumbledore shrewdly observed.

James saw Lily blush. "Unfortunately no, sir," she said, glancing at James for assurance. "I'm afraid there's been an increase in attacks against muggleborns at this school in the last few months. However, James and I have been dealing with them as befits the Head Boy and Girl. Is that what you called us here for? To talk about the attacks?"

Dumbledore gave a sad smile that for some reason, sent chills down James's spine. "I wish more deeply than anything that simple student attacks were the only reason for your presence tonight, but you're being here actually represents a higher purpose."

"Do you really think this Voldemort person is out there?" James spoke up for the first time. "Some people say its only rumors."

"Once again, James, I'm afraid that it is the truth the papers speak," Dumbledore said, sitting back in his chair with a sigh. He saw Lily raise her eyebrows at Dumbledore's use of his first name and James couldn't help but share the feeling.

"James and Lily," Dumbledore continued. "I asked you here, not only as the Heads of Hogwarts, but also because you are students I trust." He pulled out two thick files, one quite larger than the other. "Do you know what these are?"

Lily shook her head while James nodded. "They're our files, aren't they, Sir?" James had seen his numerous times.

"Yes." Dumbledore laid his hands on each. "While one of yours is filled with more mischief than the others," Lily glared at James, who grinned, "They still remain reports of bravery, kindness, and a fierce stubbornness for your own values. Precisely what Mr. Potter had previously stated to you before I made my presence known, Miss Evans."

"What does this have to do with Voldemort, Professor?" Lily asked with a slight flush to her cheeks.

"Everything. We at Hogwarts play close attention to our students, Miss Evans," Dumbledore said carefully, his voice soft. "Not only about their academic activities, but about their friends and foes, thoughts and feelings, and what and who makes their world go around while they're here. At a time like this, it has become more useful than ever, as I needed to select two students to confide in this year."

"I don't understand…" Lily said softly. James merely continued to listen.

"There is an…army, per se, that is gathering to fight Voldemort and his followers," Dumbledore continued, his face hardening. "And after much thought, I have chosen you and Mr. Potter to receive this information before your peers. I want you to join us."

"But why?" James asked. He realized he was gripping his chair so hard his knuckles were turning white. "Why us?"

"Because you both have always shown that when backed into to a corner, you will fight to the end, Mr. Potter," Dumbledore said simply. "You two have been the greatest example of bravery and loyalty that this school has seen in a good while."

James flushed. "But what can we do?" Lily said quietly, sitting forward. "We're just students. We're nothing against Voldemort."

"Ah but that's where you're wrong, Miss Evans." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled.  
>"It will be up to you and Mr. Potter to find others up to the task of fighting the wills of the Dark Lord," the Headmaster continued. "As Head Boy and Girl, you have had the most access to the attitude of the graduating students here at Hogwarts. You know better than anyone, including myself, who is willing to stand their ground against a common enemy."<p>

There was a moment of silence in the office as Lily and James let the information sink in. For James, so much now made sense. The way kids had begun to disappear, Dumbledore's sustained periods of absence, and the increased whispering during the Slytherin table at dinner. Voldemort was much farther along than James had known. Suddenly, the pieces began to fall into place.

"That's why I was Head Boy, wasn't it?" James suddenly asked. Lily's head shot up at the question, staring first at James and then at Dumbledore.

The Headmaster placed his fingers together gently in thought. "There are many reasons in every decision, James," he said carefully. "But yes, it played a significant factor in my choice of your role this year."

"It should've been Lupin's," James said softly, more to himself than to Dumbledore. A sudden guilt sagged in his chest. "He wanted it so bad."

"But no one could have had it but you," Dumbledore cut him off gently. "For many reasons, James, you were my only choice for the role this year."

Unexpectedly, Lily's fingers reached over and grabbed James's fiercely. He looked at her, surprised to find her staring at him with intensity James rarely found in her eyes. "You're a good Head Boy," she said quietly.

James glanced at Dumbledore, blushing, who merely smiled. "So now your work begins," he told them. "Its only January but soon enough you both will be leaving this school to move onto bigger things. But now its up to you to keep watch for who will join you and who will stay behind."

They nodded.

"Of course," Dumbledore suddenly looked weary, "It is still your choice whether you choose to fight with us or not. Nobody can force you."

James noticed that his glance was not directed at him, but at Lily, who only stared back determinedly. "Now, it is late enough as it is," Dumbledore smiled, standing. "Time for you to be off before I am the cause of my own Head's next detention. I will send you another parchment when I am ready to see you next."

Lily and James stood and some color gratefully flooded back into James's hands. Their chairs scraped against the stone floor as the Headmaster stood with them, the door to his office magically floating open once more. James hadn't even noticed how flushed he was until this moment, when the cool breeze from the passageway floated in and ruffled his hair for him.

"Headmaster?" James suddenly turned and asked, making Lily pause on her way out the door. "What is this army called anyways?"

Dumbledore smiled, a hint of youth returning to his eyes. He reached down and stroked Fawkes with nod. "The Order of the Phoenix, James."

The Head Boy suddenly grinned and with a nod, exited the office.

They both remained silent on their way down the steps and back into the rest of the castle. Dumbledore had filled their minds with images of armies and Dark Lords and James knew already that sleep wouldn't come easy to him that night. Lily was just as silent as she chewed on her fingertips thoughtfully. James knew better than to interrupt.

Thankfully, two Third Years did it for him. "You two, back to your Common Room," Lily snapped as the Ravenclaws spilled out from a broom closet, looking both disheveled and flushed. "And 10 points for your broken curfew."

"Yes, ma'am," the girl managed, red from embarrassment, before the boy pulled her away down the corridor and broke into a run. James couldn't help but smile.

"What?" Lily asked sourly as she looked at him.

"Nothing," he answered, nudging her with his hip. "I just like it when you yell at them. Their faces look as scared as Alice's when she lost your Potion's notes."

That managed a small smile. But then suddenly, all seriousness returned. "James, we need to talk."

James nodded and motioned towards a nearby knight posed for battle. Confused, Lily followed closely. Reaching for the stone feather on his cap, James flipped it the opposite direction and immediately, the stones in the wall began to melt away, leaving a musty smelling tunnel.

"How did you-?" Lily began to ask before she cut herself off. "Never mind, I don't want to know."

James grinned and led her into the darkness as the stones began to restack, blocking the corridor from sight. "Lumos," he whispered and his wand glowed to life, revealing a rudimentary earthen tunnel.

"Where does this go?" Lily asked wonderingly, dragging her fingers along the sides.

"Just to the grounds," James shrugged. "Remus discovered it a couple weeks ago. We haven't even added it to the map yet."

"Have you ever told Dumbledore about these passageways you find?" Lily suddenly asked accusingly. "Someone could use these to break into the school."

"I'm sure he already knows," James passed it off. "That man knows everything."

They emerged into the edge of the Forbidden Forest, where James quickly covered their exit with a few rocks and twigs. The two walked out onto the grounds, where the moon shone down above them. James shivered through his cloak. Hogwarts was frigid in January, especially at night. Thank Merlin he and Lily often wore extra covering on their rounds just by chance. The corridors weren't known for holding heat well.

For a while they only walked, their feet crunching in the snow. For James, he just looked at Hogwarts mostly. To some it was just a castle or just a school, but to James, it would always be his second home. It was where he met the Marauders and Lily Evans. He had learned magic here, along with friendship, trust, and heartbreak. Inside those walls, James had grown an ego and deflated one and found himself in more ways than one. But it was already the start of his last semester and soon, he would leave to go out far beyond these gates. And once you graduated, it wasn't easy to return to the safety of Hogwarts. Though James would never tell, he was scared out of his mind to ride off on the train and never return.

"This year…" Lily suddenly said next to him, blowing out a deep breath. "…has been terrifying in every single way."

James nodded silently and let her continue.

"Everyday new attacks are reported," she continued shakily. "From within the school and out. People are dying, magical folk and muggles alike."

She looked up at him and he saw that Lily's eyes were sparkling with gathering tears.

"Lily," he whispered, reaching to comfort her.

"No, no, don't," she resisted, raising her hands and forcing him away. She looked up at the sky as if to make the tears fall back into her eyes. "You'll just make me cry and I need to say this."

James hesitated before complying.

"People are dying," she went on, her voice a little stronger than before. "My former best friend has become the enemy and my own family is in danger. And there is nothing I can do. And all the while, everyone just sits around and acts like it isn't happening. Everyday, students disappear from the school, called home to spend more time with their families. It's becoming a warzone out there, James. We haven't even graduated! And me, a muggleborn? I'm a walking target!"

"Lily, listen," James interrupted, grabbing her hands and forcing her stop. "Nothing, I repeat, _nothing_, will ever hurt you as long as you have me, okay?"

"But that's just it, James," she whispered, the tears brimming. "If you didn't have me you would be _safe._ You're a pure blood of important ancestry. You're a Potter. Without me, you can make it in this new world."

"Don't you dare talk like Voldemort's already won," James said scowling as their legendary argument reappeared. "Don't you ever say I would be better off without you."

Lily looked like she wanted to say something more, but pressing a hand to her mouth, turned away. James drew her into his arms and she gladly fell into his chest, where she held her silence in a way that let him know she was trying her hardest not to cry. Lily was the strongest girl he had ever known. James Potter never cried. Or so he told people. He had cried when his father died of a heart attack at the beginning of the year, but he didn't tell anyone about that either. Well, except Lily and Sirius. But right now, he felt the unfamiliar prickling in his eyes as his girlfriend clutched at his shoulders as if they were the only thing between her and hell.

Except for them, the grounds were peaceful. Hagrid was moving inside his hut, which looked warm from where James stood as the lights from the windows stretched across the grounds. The giant squid was lazily skimming the surface of the lake and the lights in Gryffindor tower were small but bright above him. Everything was as it should be. Except for them.

"Lily," James said softly, lifting the usually stoic girl from him and immediately missing her warmth. He took a deep breath. "I need to tell you right now that I'm going to join the Order of the Phoenix."

Lily opened her mouth to speak but James cut her off.

"Just hear me out before you say anything," he begged, holding her at arms length. "I know I've wanted to be an auror just like my dad my entire life. But the only reason I wanted to do that was to fight people like Voldemort. What point is there in joining the Ministry if Dumbledore's going to be at the front lines, taking him on?"

"James—

Lily shook her head but James only continued to speak over her, knowing if he stopped now he would never have the courage to continue. "I know, I know, its going to be dangerous, but somebody has to go out there and show Voldemort and his so called "Death Eaters" that the Wizarding World isn't going to just sit down and take it!

"You don't have to agree with my choice. Hell, you don't even have to go along with it. But this is _bigger _than you and me, Lily. This is the chance I've been waiting for to make a difference in the world." James paused for a moment and looked at his feet, nervously. "I know we haven't talked much about the future, and what happens to…us…after all this." He gestured to Hogwarts. "But if joining this Order is a deal breaker for you then I want to know now. Because I can't put myself before this fight, even if it takes my own life. And I cant ask you to sacrifice your life because of my choice to-."

"James!" Lily suddenly cut her boyfriend off. He looked at her anxiously. "James, calm down. I understand."

He nodded slowly. Of course Lily understood. She was always so reasonable that way. But how far could reason stretch before—

"I understand because I'm joining too."

James actually took a step back. He hadn't been so surprised since Peter told him he managed to get shagged by a Fifth Year on Halloween. And he even thought that was a lie.

"Lily…" James struggled to say.

"Don't 'Lily' me," the redhead told him, grasping his hands in hers with a smile. "I'm serious, James. I may be a muggleborn but doesn't that mean I only have all the more reason to fight? I'm not going to let you go out there and get all the credit."

"But…" he spluttered. "The editorial job at the _Prophet. _You've wanted it so bad! You've always worked so hard."

"The job can wait," Lily said gently. "Saving the world is so much more important."

James stayed silent, his mind whirling. The truth was, he didn't want Lily out there fighting. He wanted her indoors and safe, where no one could ever find her. When Dumbledore had asked them, he was sure Lily would hand this job over to him.

"It's not going to be easy," he said quietly.

Lily laughed bitterly. "Nothings ever easy," she said. "That's why I always work so hard. Because life is difficult. But I'm not going to sit back and let this creep ruin my life again. He already took my best friend. I'm not letting him take my boyfriend too. He'll have to go through me first."

James just shook his head, amazed. Lily never ceased to stun him. As if sensing his train of thought, she grinned at him.

"I love you."

The words slipped out before James could hold them back.

Lily's mind froze.

"I'm so sorry," James blurted immediately. "I cant believe—I'm so sorry. We've already had so much piled on for tonight. I can't believe I just said that."

Lily wanted to open her mouth, but found it frozen shut. She wanted to reach out and hug him, but couldn't force her arms to move. James Potter, star Chaser, Head Boy, troublemaking Marauder, just told her that he…loved her? Could it be true?

James looked as if he could hit himself with a bludger.

"Look, Lily, we've been through a lot tonight," he said, looking rather green. "I didn't mean to –." He paused and took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, okay? Let's just forget it and go inside."

James brushed away the fresh snow that had gathered on his dark, untidy hair and marched back towards the forest. It was only when he turned and saw that Lily hadn't moved that the redhead pulled herself together and forced her feet forward. James Potter had just told her he loved her.

The walk back to the castle was silent as James led her back into the tunnel and out from behind the stone knight. James never turned around again after he had looked back to see if she was following out on the grounds. All the while, Lily had been deep in thought.

James Potter loved her. All her time at Hogwarts people had told Lily that James was obsessed with her, that he thought she was hot, that he stared at her in class, that for some reason he never dated anybody else and they thought it was her. But not once had anybody ever said that James Potter loved her. It wasn't that Lily doubted it. It was just…different.

Even though they were dating James and Lily hadn't given up on their bickering. All that changed was how they just ended their fights with grins and heated snogging instead of yelling and detention. But those three words changed everything. Suddenly, their relationship became so much more serious. And Lily did want that. She did. Or she thought she did anyways. But why did everything have to change? Especially right now when the world outside was becoming so dangerous? Why couldn't they just be Lily and James she had known forever? He was her one solid, and those three words would take it away faster than she could blink.

Lily just wanted to sit down and make her head stop hurting. James still hadn't turned as they tread across the Entrance Hall and up some staircases. Lily dreaded what they were going to do when they reached Gryffindor Tower. She wanted to tell him what she felt… But what did she feel? Her heart jumped when he looked at her, it pounded when he kissed her, and it nearly exploded when he'd told her he loved her only ten minutes prior. But what did that all _mean_?

Lily's thoughts were diverted by the sudden murmur of voices and padding of feet on the stone floor of the corridors. James must have heard it too as he looked at her for the first time since the grounds and motioned her silently to stop walking. She halted as he took out his wand and Lily did the same, hearing Dumbledore's warning in her head. Not all students were out of bed to steal food from the kitchens anymore. Some were out for reasons that make Lily's skin prickle to think about.

James looked back at her grimly, a finger still to his lips, and Lily thought ruefully about how they decided to leave the cloak with a whining Sirius. He had begged for a late-night Honeydukes run as he faced his Transfiguration homework glumly and James, per usual, fell for it. Lily grimaced; she knew whom to haunt if they died here tonight. Those sweets better have been worth it. As the voices grew, James suddenly turned and pushed Lily behind a nearby windowsill that was large enough for her to stand in concealed.

"James, let me go," she gritted her teeth, pushing him away.

He scowled at her. "Just let me deal with it."

"James Potter, don't you ever tell me—," but he cut her off.

"I'm sorry Lily, but as long as you're muggleborn, you're not safe," he said hurriedly, pushing her back towards the chilly glass.

"You don't even know who it is!" she protested. But James had already gone and Lily knew she was lying. There was only one group of students who wouldn't care they were out after hours and it made Lily sick to think about James out there alone.

As the dark laughter grew to a climax and suddenly stopped, Lily forced herself to stay hidden.

"Good call, dearie," an old woman whispered to her from a nearby portrait of the countryside. Lily only turned her nose up at her.

"What are you doing out after hours, Avery?" James's voice suddenly drifted from the corridor, making Lily's heart pound. "Getting up to a bit more dark magic, eh?"

Lily wanted to hit James in the back of the head. Of course, he just had to go and confront them. She peeked around the stone, holding back her hair so it wouldn't give her away as it had so many times before. What she beheld was a foreboding sight. There must have been at least ten Slytherins huddled together facing the lone figure with the messy hair and untucked shirt.

"Could ask yourself the same question," the tall blond boy at the front of the group smirked as his hand reached for his wand. "Its unusual to see you without your posse, Potter. Finally get sick of your ego, did they?"

"Don't you dare talk about my friends," James threatened quietly, his eyebrows drawing together.

"Touch a nerve, did we?" Avery grinned, showing a line of pearly white teeth that for some reason made Lily cringe.

"Oh piss off," James scowled, raising his wand. "Clear out before I call Filch."

The group chuckled and Lily's fingernails went to her teeth.

"Oh please, he'd be dead before he could holler for Dumbledore." Lily notified the one that spoke as Mulciber. He was as bad as Avery in her opinion. She would never forget the time they attacked Mary coming down to a Quidditch match. The incident still made her nauseous.

"Look," James continued with gritted teeth. "I don't want this to come to a fight, so can we just continue –."

But a boy named Travers cut him off as he pushed to the front of the group. "Of course you don't. Its all of us against just you."

Lily went cold.

"Unless you're counting by intelligence, Travers," James shot back. "Which would mean I take the lead."

"Pretty boy, Potter," a familiar snide drawl came from the back of the group. "Always thinking he's better than everyone else even when outnumbered. Typical."

If it was possible for Lily's heart to beat any faster than it already was, Severus Snape's voice certainly pushed it there.

"Oh Snivellus, my favorite little Death Eater," James said darkly.

The group hissed. "Don't you dare call us by name, you little blood traitor," Avery threatened. "How dare you put yourself equal to those who serve the Dark Lord."

"It wasn't hard to do," James said with a smirk.

Lily saw Snape raise his wand. "James!" she yelled in warning, but her voice was covered by Severus's shout.

"Sectumsempra!"

The spell flew in a flash of red light.

"Stupefy!" James aimed as he fell to one side. The spell missed. With mingled screams and complaints, the occupants of the surrounding portraits dove for cover.

"Sectumsempra!" Snape tried again. James ducked.

"Expelliarmus!" James yelled.

"Crucio!" Snape countered as Avery raised his wand and shouted, "Avada Kedavra!"

James, distracted by Snape, hadn't seen Avery's spell and Lily could hold back no longer.

"Protego!" she screamed, causing both spells to ricochet off the walls and sending Death Eater and Head Boy alike ducking. The pride in the strength of her shield charm was diminished by the chilling realization that Avery, a boy they had grown up with, had actually tried to kill James.

"Lily, no!" James shouted, seeing she had emerged.

He pushed her behind him and raised his wand protectively as the Slytherins brushed off their robes and raised their wands again. In Lily's opinion, their faces, if possible, looked even darker than before. Avery stood and pushed his blond hair out of his eyes as he turned back to the Head Boy and Girl. The dark chuckle he gave left Lily cold as she stared out over James's shoulder.

"So this is why you wanted us to leave you alone," Avery observed with a smirk. "You and mudblood had been sneaking off for some late night romancing, only to find yourselves caught in this trap."

James grip tightened almost painfully on Lily's wrist. "Don't you dare call her that," he spat.

"Mudblood," Avery repeated, raising his eyebrows with a smile at James as if daring him to protest. He took a step forward. "Mudblood."

"James, drop it," Lily hissed into his ear as her boyfriend raised his wand. "Its not worth it."

Mulciber laughed. "Yes, James, drop it." He mimicked Lily with a high-pitched falsetto. "You'd do well to listen to your filthy girlfriend, Potter."

James grimaced as Lily stepped out from behind him. "Just let us pass and we'll pretend this never happened," she said, ignoring James's clutching at her elbow.

"What makes you think we would let this opportunity slip us by?" Avery leered, stepping forward. "You're alone and there's a whole big group of us."

"You're out for a reason," Lily said coldly, ignoring the trembling of her fingers. "See to it. I can't imagine your Master will be very happy if you keep his tasks waiting long."

Travers snarled. "How dare a mudblood like you tell us what to do."

Lily once again pushed down James's wand as it came up with a grunt.

"You will have plenty of mudbloods like me to kill once Voldemort rises," Lily glowered, trying not to bite her nails. "But he wont if you waste your time standing here."

"Ah, but killing is quick, my dear," Avery told her with a sick grin. "I could demonstrate if you don't believe -."

"No!" Lily shouted. He halted with a smirk. "If you kill us now, Dumbledore will know. He knows everything. You'll be in Azkaban before Voldemort's reign even begins. By the time he breaks you out, the dementor's will have already turned you crazy."

At the mention of Dumbledore's name, the small group of would-be Death Eaters hushed, as if in fear. Lily sighed in relief as Avery's wand lowered for a few seconds. Behind her, James stepped closer and she welcomed the feeling of his breath on her neck. It reminded her he was near.

"She's right." Snape's voice startled Lily's momentary calm. "Lets get out of here and carry on for our real purpose."

"Are you sure, Snape?" Avery asked with raised brows. "Or are you just eager to get away from the sight of her and Potter together?"

Lily's heart thumped and as she sought Severus's face in the crowd, she made a brief eye contact that actually made her step back onto James's foot.

"Ouch, Lily," he muttered, putting his hands on her arms and squeezing them.

"Sorry," she murmured, but the loathing in Snape's eyes had been so fierce that it was all she could do not to cry out.

"The sight of them means nothing to me," the dark haired boy declared, nose twisted in revulsion. "I merely speak in the best interests of the Dark Lord."

"Always the suck up," Travers muttered.

"What do you think, Mulciber?" Avery asked imperiously, still holding his wand at Lily and James suspiciously.

"I think its best we get on with it," the big boy grunted. "He'll be angry if we wait much longer."

Avery turned back to Lily. "Well then, mudblood, you got your wish. We'll leave."

Lily had to stop herself from automatically saying thank you.

"But remember this," Avery pointed his wand threateningly at James as well. "If we ever see you walking down the corridor alone again, you're ours."

And just like that, the group swept past them and into the darkness of the castle. Lily had tried to find Severus in the mob but failed, leaving her stomach churning. Within moments, the corridor looked exactly as it had when they had come upon it. Shaking, Lily withdrew herself from James's grip and put a hand to her face. It was red hot.

"Wow," James said behind her. She turned to see him staring at her with wide eyes. His hair was mussed up, glasses askew, and face streaked with sweat. "That was some thinking there, Evans."

But Lily put no thought into what she did next. Tangling her fingers in his hair, Lily smashed her lips into his. James's eyes opened as wide as his mouth as Lily kissed him hungrily, pressing against him so fiercely that his back hit the stone wall with a thud.

"Lily, what are—?" James gasped as Lily took a breath. But Lily didn't care to let James finish his sentence. Hell, she didn't care for anything right now except him being as close to her as possible. She pulled him deeper, elbows locking around his neck as she stood on her tiptoes to reach his lips. Lily felt the muscles in his arms and the sweat glide down his face as she vigorously moved her mouth against his. Finally breaking out of his shock, James fastened his arms around her waist and pulled her closer as their breath came in small clouds of heat in the chilly air.

"James," Lily said hazily, pushing back from him suddenly. "I love you."

The words slipped out before Lily could stop them. And she didn't mind a bit.

The dazed smile James had been wearing grew as he pulled her closer.

"I love you too."

Just their lips almost touched a shout rose from the end of the corridor.

"James, Lily, are you alright?" Remus hollered as he skidded to a halt, a panting Sirius rounding the corner behind him. "We saw—" He gasped for breath. "The map—It showed you and the—The Death Eaters here. We thought you were—Oh."

A strange look appeared in his eye as Lupin finally seemed to notice the flushed faces of his friends and that James's arms were around Lily's waist. If possible, his face reddened even more as he loosened his grip on the crumbled map in his grip. "Er, sorry."

James only grinned. Lily let go of his shoulders with a smile and faced the two Marauders. Sirius skidded in beside Remus, panting a little less. "Where'd they go?" he asked, brandishing his wand and turning in circles as if he expected the Death Eaters to melt out of the stone.

"Gone," James said, still unable to stop grinning. Sirius paused, finally noticing Lupin's blushing face and the unnatural redness around Lily and James's lips. With a barking laugh, he slapped James on the back.

"So this is why being Heads is so much fun, huh?"

James only grinned and winked at Lily who laughed. "You have no idea."

"Please tell me you got a few house points off of them at least," Remus said hopefully as he unfurled the map to check for surrounding intruders.

Lily shook her head. "We're just glad we got off with our lives. Avery tried to kill James."

Lupin and even Sirius looked startled at Lily's declaration as James finally managed a grim look. "The Killing Curse is clearly becoming more popular among Slytherin Seventh Years."

"Are you alright?" Lupin asked alarmed.

James shrugged off his friend's concern as he put his arm around Lily's shoulder and gave her a squeeze. "I'm fine. Thankfully, my girlfriend has a strong shield charm." Lily smiled and James grinned back.

"You two make me sick," Sirius screwed up his nose and Lily rolled her eyes.

"Uh oh," Lupin announced, his eyes scouring the map. "We've got company. Filch in about thirty seconds, Norris in forty five."

The group sprang to a walk with Remus at the front. The Marauders knew the school better than anyone and with the help of a few tapestries, they put plenty of distance between them and the caretaker.

"So how did you eventually get those goons to leave you alone?" Lupin asked, straightening the robes that had slanted off to one side during his sprint. "I can't imagine Avery wanting to let you go when you were such easy targets."

"Lily talked them out of it, actually," James said proudly as he looked down at his blushing girlfriend. "She was brilliant."

"That's our girl!" Sirius hollered with a hoot.

"Good job, Lily," Remus told her, obviously impressed.

"It wasn't that hard," Lily tried to say, but she couldn't help beaming proudly. There was a warmth in her as she looked at the appreciative faces of Sirius, Remus, and most of all, James. It was a warmth that rolled through her body and tingled at the ends of her nose and fingers, leaving her heart heavy. It was a kind of fullness she wished never to go away. For the first time as she looked around at the Marauders, she felt a sense of comfort she had never before let in. Their crooked glasses, bemused stares, and cocky struts were all that Hogwarts had given her, but it was just what she needed. They had given her a sense of familiarity in the crazy world that she had entered as a complete stranger. As she walked among them now, her heart soared with the knowledge that she had found the sense of belonging she had searched for these past seven years. It had been right in front of her the whole time. Sandwiched between an arrogant Sirius, a laughing Remus, and most of all, a completely egotistical, utterly bewitching and undoubtedly loving, James Potter.

"I love you guys," Lily told them simply.

Sirius waved a hand in front of her face and looked at James with faux concern. "Are you sure she didn't get hit with some sort of spell back there?"

Lily punched Sirius softly in the arm.

"Hello?" he said, rubbing the spot softly.

"He means, we love you too," Remus said kindly. Sirius grinned.

"Where is Peter, by the way?" James asked suddenly, looking around. Lily startled out of her reverie. She hadn't even realized the smaller boy wasn't there. In the excitement, he had managed to fall to the very bottom of her priorities list.

"I don't know," Lupin said. "I left the map open while I was doing my Charms homework. When I glanced at it and saw you two and Avery, I ran upstairs to find only Frank and Sirius in the room. Peter was no where to be found."

"It wasn't exactly like we could wait for him," Sirius said, annoyed. "We didn't know what the situation was and decided to get to you as fast as possible."

"To be honest," Lupin said as they reached a yawning Fat Lady, "I didn't even look to see who the other Death Eaters were. The minute I saw Avery I ran for Sirius." He looked guilty as the portrait opened and the four stepped through to an empty Common Room. "I hope you were able to get some names down at least to show Dumbledore."

"I'm sure he already knows them," James said sullenly, "But Lily and I will do our best to remember the next time we see him. However, we've got bigger news to tell you."

He glanced questioningly down at Lily, who nodded in agreement. "Its about Dumbledore…" And the four made their way to the deserted couch and dying fire to talk of Dark Lords, wizard armies, and the years to come.

It was a shame that Remus hadn't taken the moment to glance at the parchment. It was a shame that Lily had been too concerned with Severus to notice. It was a shame that James had been too livid with Avery to focus anywhere but his dark-eyed smirk. Because if even for a second they had paused to take a second look, they would have saved themselves years of trouble and worry. For four years from now, the man that Avery went to meet tonight would finally fulfill the task Avery had wished he could complete himself. Four years from now, James and Lily would be dead, Sirius a convict, Lupin an outcast, and Peter a dead man. After that, only young Harry Potter could bring them together once more. But all of it could have been saved with a second glance, a second look, or a second search. Because for the first time Peter Pettigrew had been among that group of Death Eaters that night and he had wanted more than anything to be caught.

**THANKS FOR READING AND FEEL FREE TO GIVE SOME CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM!**


	8. James Proposed to Lily

**STORY IS NOT COMPLETE. **

**SORRY I WAS OUT OF TOWN VISITING FAMILY AND COULDN'T GET INTERNET ACCESS. I KNOW, HARD TO IMAGINE, RIGHT? BUT I'M BACK WITH THE NEXT ONE AND STICKING TO ROMANCE IN ACCORDANCE WITH SOME READERS WISHES. PLEASE REVIEW, AS I DO VALUE YOUR OPINIONS IN THIS STORY. THIS ONE GAVE ME A LITTLE TROUBLE AND MAY BE SUBJECT TO REVISIONS LATER BUT HERE IS THE FIRST ONE WITH A GLIMPSE OF THE MARAUDERS AND LILY AFTER LEAVING HOGARTS. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. **

_Mrs. Potter had been a wise woman. Aware of James's tendencies to fall madly and passionately in love with everything he discovered, had told him briskly that true love wasn't something to play around with. She had told him that love wasn't a passing fancy or a fleeting feeling, but a serious undertaking. James had listened patiently as she said that love isn't about being with each other through the good times, but sticking together throughout the bad._

_When she had finished, James looked so serious that Mrs. Potter almost didn't recognize her own son as he said, "Mum, I have loved this girl since the moment I met her. She has been and always will be the only girl for me."_

**THE FIRST TIME…James proposed to Lily.**

Being part of the Order of the Phoenix was boring. Well, most days anyways, James Potter corrected to himself as he tucked his last few reports in his desk. When Dumbledore first proposed the job, James had to admit he thought it would be a bit more…full-time than this. It wasn't that he was ungrateful for the opportunity or even regretful of his choice. James Potter was just bored.

Since fighting the Dark Lord had been regulated to weeknights and Saturday mornings, he and Lily still had time for jobs as an auror and an editor, respectively. Lily had been threatening to quit for a week now. In her opinion, _The Daily Prophet _had finally crossed the line from news to propaganda. Every night she came home with heavy eyes, muttering of witnesses and source protection. James and Sirius could only offer her an attempt at mashed potatoes as consolation.

James's job as an auror was getting more taxing everyday. He had started as expected with basics and deskwork when they graduated a month ago. However, as the demand for field aurors grew, James suddenly found himself promoted at breakneck speed. He spent almost every moment out in the Wizarding World, running in circles around Death Eater's elaborately covered tracks. On days when they arrived just too late to stop a gruesome torture or heinous murder, James wanted to just quit.

He could if he wanted. His parents had left him a fortune when his mother had finally passed away in April. Already James had put the money to good use supplying the flat in London for him and Lily to move into and supporting Remus on the side. Clearly werewolves weren't a hot commodity in the working world, especially when a tirade of dark wizards was on the loose.

The work was grueling but James could never make himself quit just yet. As dissatisfying as it could be, at least it was work. At least he was out there making even the smallest difference.

Around five o'clock every night Lily and James would stumble out of the fireplace and drag themselves into the kitchen, where the two flat mates alternated turns finding food for them both to eat. They were usually so tired that bowls of cereal and cold sandwiches sufficed before they fell into their separate beds and let sleep sweep over them.

However, the hardest thing about the first month out of Hogwarts for James wasn't chasing dark wizards or learning to put the toilet seat down. It was instead what always seemed to trouble James Potter the most: Lily Evans.

They'd shocked all their friends at the end of the school year by announcing that they were putting their relationship on hold for a few months. Well, almost all of their friends had been shocked, James mentally corrected. Sirius had just been angry. In his opinion, "I didn't spend the last seven years with a moping James over Lily Evans to only have him lose her now!"

But as the days dragged on, Lily and James knew they had made the right choice. They barely had time for sleep and work let alone each other. Plus, it wasn't as if they were seeing other people. Their relationship wasn't even "off" technically. The former Gryffindors just knew they couldn't handle the stress they were under and a relationship at the same time. Remus had told James that their view was a load of tosh but James was just too tired to care. Too tired to do anything.

Except talk with Lily Evans. And laugh with her. And mop up after dishwashing attempts with her. And fall asleep on the couch with her. And smile for the first time in days with her. And…and…James groaned. Who was he kidding? He was in love with Lily and no matter how he had tried to squash those feeling deep down, they did nothing but rise to the surface stronger every time he saw her.

She was the one thing in James's life that still made his heart soar. Ever since Sirius had been told to lay low by Dumbledore, the once cocky Gryffindor had lost some of his steam. Remus was busy wearily bracing the cold hard realities of being a werewolf in the Wizarding World. Peter was rarely seen anymore, though Sirius said the scrawny Marauder bunked with him every couple nights or so in his apartment on the opposite side of London. It was as if the Marauders were falling apart. Except for Lily.

"Except for Lily…" James murmured bitterly as he packed his final things and made his way from the Auror Office.

"Leaving?" Alice Wright asked as James passed.

"Well it is five o'clock," he pointed out, eyes flicking down to his watch to confirm. 5:01 p.m. exactly.

Alice sighed and gave a weary smile. She looked just as tired as he did. "Typical. Unless its Quidditch or Lily Evans, you only put in the minimum."

James raised his eyebrows. "Don't forget pranks and general mischief."

"The three most important things in life," his round-faced former schoolmate said with a small grin. "Give me two seconds and I'll join you on the way out."

"Not waiting for Frank today?" James asked as Alice gathered her stuff and threw on a cloak.

"Donnelly asked him to work late," Alice rolled her eyes as they exited their offices and entered the throngs of witches and wizards leaving the Ministry.

James scowled apologetically. "That's the third time this week. I can't believe he's working him so hard."

Alice sighed. "Frank claims he has a lead on those Lestranges so I think Donnelly's trying to push him for more information." She shook her head wearily. "A nasty pair they are, especially that Bellatrix."

"Just tell Frank to be careful," James warned grimly. "From the stories Sirius has told me, Bellatrix is maybe the most dangerous Death Eater You-Know-Who has. I don't want you two getting hurt."

"All part of the job," Alice tried cheerfully, but it came off somewhat lackluster. "Frank's always such a good sport that he doesn't mind but sooner or later he's going to break."

James nodded. "We're all going to sooner or later."

"How's Lily?" Alice asked as they entered the Atrium. "I feel as if it's been forever since I've seen anyone."

"She's…good," James said.

"We're all 'good'," Alice pointed out sharply. "How is she really?"

"She misses everyone," James shrugged. "I mean look at you, Marlene, and Frank, and I. We work in the same department and barely see each other. Lily feels on the other end of the world over there with the _Daily Prophet_."

"Any chance you two are getting back together soon?" Alice asked hopefully. "It sure would help to have a bit of good news to spread around for once."

James couldn't help that he turned a little red. "Its not really on our top priorities list. Everything's been so busy…"

Alice put a comforting hand to James's shoulder as they slowed at the giant fireplaces that dotted the hall. "Trust me," she said, "There is nothing more important than love. Do Lily and I both a favor and remember that, okay?"

James nodded reluctantly.

"Send Lily my love," Alice smiled. "See you Monday!"

"See you," James waved her off. His spirits lifted a little at the memory that it was Friday. He would have the weekend off from chasing the likes of Voldemort and his cronies. Well…he would have the weekend of from chasing them for the Ministry. Now he was on the clock for the Order of the Phoenix. James always enjoyed doing Order jobs more than his Ministry ones, as his closest friends were able to join him. When they'd left school, all four of the Marauders had planned to become Aurors at the Ministry, but only James followed through.

Sirius was forced to lay low on Dumbledore's orders. Now that his family was rising higher in the ranks with Voldemort every day, Dumbledore figured they would start looking for their blood traitor relative on their days off. Particularly Bellatrix, whom Sirius gaily recalls bullying whenever he could. James supposed that didn't help his case. Remus hadn't been accepted by the program due to "Personality Flaws" but everyone knew it was just a cover for the fact that the Ministry didn't trust werewolves. Peter didn't even apply. James guessed he just figured he couldn't get in.

Looking around the hall, James strained his eyes to spot a red head bobbing towards him. Checking his watch, he saw it was 5:07 p.m. with Lily nowhere in sight. The two had a deal to wait at least five minutes past the five o'clock hour before leaving for home. It had been James's idea to wait for each other. Lily made it very clear she thought his precautions were ridiculous but as James constantly pointed out, in these dangerous times, no one was safe, particularly muggleborns.

James stalled an extra moment as the crowds thinned, hoping to see her marching towards him with the usual fury she wore leaving work, but no luck. Lily must have gone home without him. Grabbing a handful of floo powder and stepping into the nearest fireplace, James set off without a redhead in tow.

In seconds, he climbed out into the spacious kitchen he and Lily had begun to hesitantly call home.

"Lily!" he yelled out, taking off his coat and setting down his briefcase. "Lily? Are you home?"

There was no answer.

James padded through the kitchen and took off his shoes, listening for a sign that Lily had gotten home safely.

"Lily!" he yelled again.

He walked back to her bedroom. No Lily. Through the bathroom. No luck. Back through the kitchen and into the entryway. No one. Just as he was about to panic, James walked into the living room and sighed with relief.

She was sitting on the couch. Not watching the muggle telly she had forced him to buy, or reading another one of Lupin's borrowed books, or even huddled over the latest _Daily Prophet _and muttering under her breath like she usually did. Just sitting.

"Lily, you had me worried," James said, unbuttoning his shirt at the top and taking off his belt. "Why didn't you respond when I called out?"

No response.

James walked to her side. "Lily?"

It was only then that he saw the emptied contents of a tissue box scattered next to her and the crumpled leafs of _Daily Prophet _that littered the floor. She was shaking, so slightly you could barely tell and her head tilted away so that all James could see was the red hair that cascaded down her back.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

"What are you sorry for?" James asked as he sat down next to her, concerned. "Lily, are you alright?"

"I quit," she said shakily, her voice a little stronger. "I walked out."

"You quit?" James asked incredulously.

"I'm sorry," she repeated, still refusing to look at him.

"You don't have to be sorry," James smiled. "Good for you."

Lily didn't respond.

"Lil, you don't have to be sorry," he repeated, hesitantly reaching out and putting a comforting hand on her shoulder. She stiffened and James immediately regretted the gesture. The two had made an unspoken bond against any sort of physical contact when they called off their active relationship a month ago.

"Do you want to talk about it?" James asked quietly, withdrawing his hand.

Lily shook her head and reached for another tissue.

"Can you at least tell me what happened?"

At that, James finally got a response. Lily shakily reached down and picked up a piece of the _Daily Prophet. _He took it from her slowly, not sure whether he wanted to see what its contents held.

The top of the page read,

"You-Know-Who's Muggle Attacks Increase"

It looked to be on the second or third leaf of the paper, as the article contained only one small picture and was sandwiched between a coupon for discounts at Madame Malkin's and a story on increased Gnome presence in gardens this summer.

James didn't understand. "Lily?" he asked slowly, "Are you sure this is the right page?"

Lily let out what sounded like a small sob and quickly buried her head in her hands. Worried, James pushed his glasses up and began to scan the article.

_Though Ministry officials are trying their hardest to spread their taskforce to muggle communities, the rising death toll tells quite plainly that the Ministry is no longer equipped to handle such an enormous undertaking._

James skipped forward again and chanced a glance at Lily, who was still curled with her head in her lap.

_Rumors have abounded that You-Know-Who and his followers are particularly targeting the families of well-known muggleborns. While the titled Death Eaters have yet to march on the Wizarding community, we here at the Daily Prophet can only anticipate that will be their next move. _

_List of Prominent Muggle Dead:_

_Marge & Walter Shirling – Parents of Sean Shirling_

_Julia Westerling – Mother of Beth Thomas_

_Frank, Anne, & Becky Milton – Family of Greg Milton_

_Sharon & George Evans – Parents of Lily Evans_

James stared at the paper and read it again.

_Sharon & George Evans – Parents of Lily Evans._

He suddenly realized his hands were shaking. It couldn't be…

"Lily?" he asked quietly. "Is this true?"

Another squelched sob sounded in the silence. James slid off the couch and dropped to his knees in front of her. He gently placed his hands on either side of her face and lifted her head so that she looked at him. Her eyes were puffy and red from crying and her face was lined with tears.

"I'm sorry," Lily hiccupped softly. "After I saw…I couldn't stay..."

James shook his head as the tears leaked out of Lily's eyes. "Don't ever be sorry," he whispered, wiping tears away with his thumbs. His heart jumped at how close her green eyes were, her forehead nearly touching his.

For a moment, Lily only stared at him with watery eyes and James second-guessed wiping away the tears. It was much too intimate gesture for where they stood. He was always so stupid when it came to her. Why did he have to go and mess everything up?

But suddenly, Lily threw her arms around him and with that one gesture, James felt all the resolve they'd held onto for the past month dissolve as his arms encased her.

"Its all my fault," she began to sob in earnest. "If I had just stayed home like I was supposed to they would've never been killed."

James held her tighter as she shook violently against his chest. "Its all—my-my-my fault," she repeated as the tears poured down her face.

James buried his head in her hair and squeezed his eyes shut. His heart hurt. It was the only way he could describe it. His chest seized with a pain that made James wish he could tear his heart out rather than let it stay put for one more minute. He pulled Lily tighter as she sobbed against him on the floor of the living room. Why did this happen? Why to them? Why to Lily? She was the bravest, kindest, most intelligent witch he knew. Nobody deserved this, let alone her.

Bewildered and unsure of what to do with a sobbing girl, James staggered to his feet as Lily clung to him. Putting one arm beneath her knees, he swung her up bridal style and held her close. Slowly, so that he didn't run into any sharp edges, he walked to his bedroom.

His bed wasn't made from this morning and his clothes lay strewn on the floor. Usually James closed the door so that Lily couldn't chastise him for the mess but today, he could have cared less if she saw it. James stumbled to his bed and lay Lily down softly. She curled up into a small ball, still sobbing.

James sat down next to where she lay and gently began to work off the cloak that still draped around her shoulders. Her shoes were next. Then the clip that was still trying its best to hold the curtain of red hair away from Lily's swollen eyes.

"Take this," James said softly, throwing her a pair of his sweatpants and a baggy t-shirt that read _Puddlemore United _on the front.

Lily sat up with a sniffle and James kissed her gently on the forehead. "You change, I'll be back in a moment."

Shaking, James made his way to the kitchen. He took a deep breath, grabbed a handful of floo powder, and stuck his head into the fire.

The tickling sensation rose around his ears as green flames licked at his ruffled hair. A muttered address and a whirling sensation later, James was looking out at the living room of Remus Lupin's flat.

"James!" the haggard Marauder exclaimed with surprise as he stepped into view. "Why is your head floating in my fireplace?" In his hands he held a teapot and two cups. "Sirius is over. You should come and—."

"Not today, sorry," James panted, cutting off his friend. "I need your help. Its Lily."

Concern immediately appeared on Lupin's face, making the circles under his eyes grow darker. "Is she hurt?"

"No—," James started to say.

"James!" Sirius's voice boomed as he came into view. "Please say you'll join us. Moony's just turned into a girl and offered me tea and biscuits. He put on an apron and every—."

"Lily's parents are dead!" James exclaimed. Both of his friends got quiet. "She found out sometime today. I don't know what happened. But I need your help."

"Give me one moment and I'll be right there," Remus said, hurrying off around the corner. "Where is she now?"

"I put her in my bed," James said tiredly.

"Don't worry, we'll be there as soon as we can," Sirius said. No trace of his previous smile lingered on his face. "Tell her to just hold on."

"Thanks." James withdrew his head and with a swirl of green, appeared back in his own kitchen, feeling rather winded.

It only took a matter of seconds for Sirius to appear, and then Remus, who was carrying a teapot and a rather large mug. In that moment, James realized how much older they had all become in the last month. Each day, Remus's eyes grew darker and Sirius's face contained more frown lines than smiles. They'd precious little to celebrate in the last month and the death of Mr. and Mrs. Evans was only the end of a long string of foreboding news. The real world had indeed taken its toll on the three friends. James supposed he looked no better to them, with his skewed glasses and constantly tired eyes, currently filled with concern. He shook his head in sadness and beckoned them down the hall, trying to push all thoughts of maturity from his mind.

"Is she okay?" Sirius asked worriedly.

"She was crying when I carried her to the bedroom," James said.

"Poor Lily," Remus said sadly as he managed to pour the tea as he walked.

James knocked on his door twice and then entered. "Lily?" he ventured quietly before walking in. "I brought tea. And friends."

The redhead was lying with her back to the door. She had donned James's much larger clothes and had snuggled under his covers so that only her hair was visible at first glance. At the sound of the door opening, she sat up slightly and squinted her eyes at the intruders.

"Hey Lily," Remus greeted softly, sitting on the edge of the bed and handing her the cup of tea. She took it with shaky hands.

"Hey Remus," she said in a thick voice. "Hey Sirius."

Sirius, who had grown very solemn, took up his post against James's bedroom wall. "Hey Flower," he said softly. "How are you doing?"

The tears leaked out of Lily's eyes and she sniffled. "Okay," she tried to say. But her voice gave it away.

"Let me get you a tissue," Remus suggested hurriedly.

"They're all out," Lily burst back into tears, covering her face. James sat down on the bed and curled up next to her. She leaned into him and he put his arm around her.

"Help me," James mouthed to his friends.

"I'll go get tissues," Sirius said immediately.

"I'm going to talk to the Ministry and see what happened," Lupin said seriously.

James nodded his thanks as he pulled Lily closer to him.

"What happened, Lil?" he asked softly. "How'd you find out?"

"The paper," she said shakily, her face still buried in his chest. "I was editing that article. The buggers…" She broke off bitterly. "I didn't even get a letter about it."

"Well, we didn't need those jobs anyways," James said with a half-hearted smile.

"Those jobs?" Lily asked confused, her sniffles fading away. "Don't you mean my job?"

James sighed. "Evans, there's no way you get to quit and I don't."

Lily smiled slightly and immediately, James felt better.

"James?" Remus poked his head in the door. "Can I speak to you a moment?"

James slid off the bed, missing Lily's warmth, and made his way quietly out the door. "What is it?" he asked with concern.

Remus grimaced. "I found this letter on the table." He handed James the parchment. "It seems Lily was supposed to get this before she reached work today. It explains that although her parents were under protection, the Death Eaters were able to trace where they lived. They're working on figuring out how but it remains a mystery. They say that the Ministry has already informed her sister that it was a gas leak and has left the funeral plans with Petunia. Lily's free to contact her if she wishes."

"That's all brilliant," James said caustically. "But how did Lily end up without the letter and at her job editing the article that listed them as dead?"

Lupin bit his lip. "Is that how she found out?"

James nodded dully, suddenly feeling exhausted.

"As I was walking into the kitchen, an owl arrived with this." Remus handed James another small letter that bore the Ministry seal. "It's an official apology for the late notification and a chance for Lily to reclaim her job if she pleases."

"As if," James scoffed. "Thanks Moony."

"Anything for you and Lily," his friend said with a quiet smile. "Anything else I can do right now?"

"Any chance you're up for making some soup?" James ventured.

"I'm on it," Remus told him with a nod.

Gratefully, James re-entered the room to see Lily sitting up in bed and staring at him. "I'm not a child," she said, her lip still wobbling. "You don't have to all treat me like a dreadful invalid incapable of hearing news for myself."

James sighed. "We just care about you. Here's the memo you were supposed to receive this morning before leaving." He handed her the paper and sat down on the edge of the bed.

She read it while sniffling and James resisted the urge to crawl up next to her when he saw the tears spring back to her eyes. Lily took a deep breath and shakily lowered the paper. "Petunia wont believe it."

"I don't care what Petunia believes," James said. "And you shouldn't either."

"She's my only surviving family," Lily choked out. "I have to contact her."

Lily made to get out of bed but James gently caught her by the shoulders with his arm and pushed her back. "What you need is to lay down," he told her.

She shook her head but didn't move again. Overcome by another bout of tears, Lily sank back into the pillows and hid her face from James's gaze.

They sat in silence. James twiddled his thumbs and stared at the bedspread. Lily reread the letter over and over again, each time a fresh batch of tears springing to her eyes.

"Its not your fault, you know," James finally said. Lily looked up with red-rimmed eyes.

"How could it not be my fault?" she retorted bitterly. "If I had never become a witch, they would've never had to worry about being murdered at the hands of Death Eaters."

"You became a witch to help people," James said. "And you have. You're fighting these guys. You're working to protect other muggle families—."

"But what does any of that mean if I cant protect my own?" Lily cut him off angrily. "They're dead, James. _Dead._ And there is nothing I can do that will ever bring them back."

Knock knock. Sirius poked his head in the door. "I have the tissues—."

He faltered when he saw Lily's glare. "Er… I'm going to go help Remus. I'll just leave these here."

Sirius gently set the tissues inside the door and vanished from sight. Lily deflated with a deep sigh. "I'm sorry," she said quietly. "I shouldn't be on you all like this. I'm just so—so—angry."

"And you have a right to be," James said with a half-hearted smile. He retrieved the tissues while Lily rubbed the water out from her eyes.

"You're a great guy, James," Lily said, taking a tissue from him and blowing her nose.

"I know what it feels like to loose a parent. Or both," James said gently. "Its never easy."

"I'm sorry," she said softly.

"Don't be," James shrugged.

"How did they find them?" Lily suddenly exclaimed as she shoved the Ministry letter off the bed. "I had all the charms in place. I went over them so many times I nearly memorized them! Ministry officials double-checked them. My parents knew all the rules…"

Lily shook her head. "I don't get it. There was so many other possible muggles to go after in that neighborhood. The Death Eaters should have naturally felt inclined to pass them by."

"They could've been specifically looking for them," James said out loud what he had been thinking for while and sat back on the edge of the bed. "I don't think it was a coincidence that they showed up in your parent's neighborhood, Lily."

"You think they were targeted?" she asked softly. "But why? What did they ever do to oppose You-Know-Who?"

"I don't think it was what _they_ did…" James said grimly.

Lily's face fell further, if that was possible. "You think some of them did it against me?"

"We've been at work for a month now, Lily," James pointed out. "I'm sure some of our old Death Eater friends have been too. I bet Avery pretty much leapt into You-Know-Who's arms the minute he got off the Hogwarts Express."

"But it would've been so complicated," Lily shook her head, unbelieving. "Avery would've seriously wanted to hurt me to find them. Its not like he's got all the time in the world, following You-Know-Who. It would've taken ages to track down their address. Plus, breaking past the defensive charms would've taken a skill level that Avery and Mulciber just don't have."

"Who wants some soup?"

Lupin and Sirius stood hesitantly in the doorway. For one of the first times since he had come off work, James saw Lily smile at them. "I'm not going to bite," she said quietly. "Or cry. You can come in now."

The two set the tray down on the bedside table. Remus handed out steaming bowls to his friends as Sirius pushed himself onto the end of the bed.

"You alright?" he asked Lily.

She nodded and sipped her soup thoughtfully as Lupin sat down opposite James on the bed. "I just cant figure out how they were found."

"Did you register their protection with the Ministry?" Remus asked.

"Did you double-check your spells?" Sirius queried.

"Yes and yes!" Lily exclaimed. "I don't understand…"

"Well did anyone from Hogwarts know where you lived?" Lupin asked slowly. "If someone let slip once where your parents were, it would've taken only a day or so to break past the defensive charms and walk right on in."

James felt his innards go cold. He knew. He knew right as Lupin had finished speaking exactly how the Evans's had been murdered so easily. And it made him sick and angry all at once. A quick glance at Lily told him she knew too.

"No," she said quickly. "No. no. He wouldn't."

James only stared.

"He wouldn't!" she defended, her voice rising. "Sev would never—."

"Lily—," Sirius tried to say.

"No!" she nearly screamed, pushing her bowl onto the bed. "You didn't know him like I did! Sev wouldn't—Sev couldn't— My parents took him in! They fed him! Were kind to him! I don't believe it!"

"I'm so sorry," Remus said sadly, holding up his hands in defense. "Lily, I am so sorry."

"No, no, no," she repeated to herself, covering her ears.

"I'm going to kill him." Sirius stood, pulling out his wand. "He's had it coming, the nasty little bugger. I'm going to kill him."

Remus stood as well. "Sirius, killing Snape isn't going to bring Lily's parents back."

"But it will bloody well avenge them!" Sirius roared.

"He was my friend," Lily continued tearfully. "He wouldn't. He wouldn't…"

"James!" Remus exclaimed as Sirius stormed from the room. "Don't just sit there! Do something!"

James shook from his trance and sprung to his feet. "Moony, you go make sure Sirius doesn't land himself in Azkaban and I'll take care of Lily. Owl me when you track him safely down."

"I don't need to be babied, Potter," the redhead told him furiously as Lupin nodded and slipped from the room. Lily made to get out of bed. "Stop acting like I'm not here!"

"Then stop treating me like I'm the bad guy," James retorted angrily.

Lily opened her mouth to speak but faltered, her eyes seizing with tears again. "You never knew Severus," she said quietly, sitting back down on the bed. "You always jump to the conclusion that he's the enemy. But he was my _friend, _James. My friend. My Sirius. He wouldn't do something like this."

"I'm sorry, but I cant believe that," James said sharply.

"Because you don't want to!"

"Because it's a lie!"

With a huff, Lily turned away from James and pulled the covers up to her chest. Sighing, James sat back down on the edge of the mattress. He could hear Lily sniffling and hiccupping from the other side of the bed and inwardly groaned. That girl had been a pain in the arse since the day they met. He had spent years and buckets of galleons trying to impress her. James had tried to be the comedian, the smart ass, the bad boy, the jock, and even the nice guy at one point to get her to notice him. But through all of that, James would've laughed at the person who told him he would be sitting next to her like this today. He would've ridiculed the person that told him Lily Evans would ever end up as more than 'the girl he never got' and scoffed at whoever declared she would someday mean more to him than his life. James would've bet the Quidditch Finals against the person who said that one day he would be the person Lily ran to for comfort. And yet here they were…

James looked over his shoulder at the curled form huddled beneath his blankets. He pushed himself closer to her and set a gentle hand on her arm. He felt her tremble beneath him and James took a sharp breath. He had almost forgotten how her skin felt beneath his hands.

"Lily?" he whispered softly. "It all going to be okay, I promise."

The redhead turned towards him with swollen eyes and James smiled softly. Gently, he moved his other hand to brush away the trails of water from under her eyes.

Lily squinted at him. "How come when the world is coming apart, you tell me its all going to be okay and I believe you?"

"Because I'm James Potter," he grinned.

Lily opened her eyes and looked at him for a long time. James only stared back, tentatively stroking the strands of hair that framed her face.

"I missed you," she suddenly said.

"I missed you too."

"I missed everything about you," Lily said quietly, looking anywhere but him. "I missed your ruffled hair, the way you and Sirius joked around, the bickering we would have over how to best make toast and the surest way to defeat Voldemort. I missed the late nights waiting up for you to return safely from another full moon and how you looked at me like I was so special…"

"I missed your glares," James told her seriously as Lily trailed off. "And how your eyes lit up when I walked into the room. I missed how you were always up for a debate and the way you always called me out when I needed it. I missed waking up to your red hair, and dinners with laughter and the way you managed to take my mind off of whatever troubled me."

For the first time, Lily glanced up at James with a nervous smile. He grinned outright.

"We were so stupid," she whispered with a shake of her head. "To think we could stay away from each other."

"We did a pretty good job for about a month," James whispered back.

Lily smiled. "Lets never do that again."

"Deal," James kissed her on the forehead.

Lily arched her eyebrows skeptically. "Really, Potter? Only a kiss on the forehead after a month?"

James flushed. "It's been a difficult day. I don't want to take advantage—."

Lily leaned up and kissed him, her mouth warm against his.

"There, now you don't have to worry," she said with a smile.

* * *

><p>After a few more hastily written letters to Remus, who had written James to let him know Sirius was not on a killing spree, and to the Ministry to quit his job, James climbed into bed with Lily, who was already dozing.<p>

She curled up onto his chest when he slid under the covers and James couldn't stop grinning. "Nox," he whispered, and the bedroom plunged into darkness

The only light that reached them now was from the moon outside James's bedroom window. It made Lily's hair glint.

"I love you," she told him as his arms drew her closer.

"I love you too," he said.

James watched Lily's eyelids droop further and further until they shut completely and her breathing became even. His heart was thudding. He couldn't imagine anyone more perfect than Lily Evans in his entire life. She was his soul mate. The one who would forever be linked to him, no matter what happened. She was the first person he met at Hogwarts all those years ago on the train and he'd been stuck to her ever since. Through all the fights and the tears, they had fallen in love. And for one month, James had almost lost her. But now, as Lily slept listening to his heartbeat, James knew there was no chance he was letting her get away a second time.

Careful, so as not to wake her, James reached over Lily towards his bedside table, where long forgotten bowls of soup lay cold. Easing open the drawer, James rummaged quietly around for the feel of a familiar small box. Holding his tongue between his teeth as James often did when he was concentrating very hard, he grabbed hold of something velvety.

With a sigh of relief, James settled back into the bed with the box enclosed inside his left hand. The feel of it made his heart thud. What lay inside was so much more serious than a few kisses and some whispered words of endearment. It was a promise to stay with each other for better and for worse. It was a bond that could not be broken.

He and Lily had only been dating less than two months when James went to visit his mother over Christmas break. With his heart in his mouth, he had asked her for her wedding ring. He had told her that he had fallen in love with a girl named Lily Evans.

Mrs. Potter had been a wise woman. Aware of James's tendencies to fall madly and passionately in love with everything he discovered, had told him briskly that true love wasn't something to play around with. She had told him that love wasn't a passing fancy or a fleeting feeling, but a serious undertaking. James had listened patiently as she said that love isn't about being with each other through the good times, but sticking together throughout the bad.

When she had finished, James looked so serious that Mrs. Potter almost didn't recognize her own son as he said, "Mum, I have loved this girl since the moment I met her. She has been and always will be the only girl for me."

She had handed him the ring off her finger, surprised and impressed by a level of maturity she had never before seen in her son.

James had taken the ring and bought a little box for it to go in. After that, he kept it in his pocket at all times. That ring had kept him going. It had symbolized hope for him. And that something better was waiting at the end of the dark tunnel. It had symbolized love. His and Lily's love.

And now, as he flipped the box open silently in the middle of the night, James's heart thudded. The moonlight caught the diamond and sent dancing spots of light all over James's shirt and Lily's peaceful face. It was a big diamond, set on ring made of pure gold and on the inner curve, a single word was engraved. _Potter. _The ring had been in his family for a century, passed down generation after generation until his mother handed it to him in December.

James blew out a big breath of air as he admired the ring in the moonlight. Looking down at the sleeping girl in her arms, James Potter gave her a soft kiss on the forehead and whispered, "Lily Evans, will you marry me?"

* * *

><p>That was the first time James proposed to Lily Evans. In their little flat, curled against each other, with one of them sound asleep. The next morning, James got up a little earlier than usual and prepared a full breakfast for Lily, who woke up late. She groaned as James dragged her out of bed, still wearing his clothes. Throughout breakfast, she moaned about having to contact Petunia and what she would do to Severus Snape when she next saw him. James could only nod in agreement, the box in his pocket weighing on his mind.<p>

After she'd finished eating, James begged a reluctant Lily to get dressed for the day.

"I just want to sit on my butt," she complained, but James was insistent.

It wasn't until around eleven that the two finally appeared in the kitchen, showered and freshly clothed. James told Lily she looked beautiful. Lily said he always said that. James said it was always true.

It wasn't until James stretched out his hand for her to take that Lily caught on. "We're going somewhere, aren't we?"

James only shrugged with a mischievous smile.

"James Potter, you tell me this instant."

"It's a surprise," was James's only response. Lily raised her eyebrows skeptically but grabbed James's hand anyways. Before she could change her mind, James turned on the spot and instantly, the kitchen of their flat was empty.

A fast whoosh passed their ears and James tentatively opened his eyes. They were standing exactly where he wanted to be, in the center of a small town that still had cobblestone streets. In front of him was a stone church and to his right was a pub that stood deserted on a Saturday morning. James looked down and saw Lily standing next to him, fully intact. He sighed with relief.

Of the few villagers that were out shopping, none of them took a second glance at the redhead and the boy with the glasses that appeared out of nowhere. "Come on," James said, pulling Lily forward by the hand.

"Where are we?" she asked, confused.

They settled into a brisk walk as they passed the church and then several cottages. It was a beautiful July day, albeit a bit hot. The sun shone from above and as they walked, families young and old passed by, laughing and chattering on their way into town for a day of shopping, a sign of how simple life was here. A small cemetery was approaching and James's hands sweated with nerves, knowing they were getting closer. He only hoped Lily couldn't tell.

"James, will you please tell me where we are?" Lily repeated, exasperated. Her eyes hung onto the cemetery, as if trying to make sense of their location.

"Just hold on," he told her, walking a bit faster now. They passed cottage after cottage, some of which were grand with sweeping porches and lush yards of green that stretched for acres. Some of cottages were smaller, with only one stone chimney and a tiny overgrown garden out front. Some had children playing out in the front lawn and some were dark and boarded up but James saw none of them. He only forced himself to breathe deeply and focused on the path ahead.

As they rounded the corner, he finally began to slow as one of the larger cottages with stonewalls and a magnificent garden came into view. It stood alone on the street, guarded by a small wooden fence as green ivy waged a war with its siding. James allowed himself a small smile.

"Potter," Lily said softly, noting his gaze. "I'm only going to ask one more time. Where are we?"

They came to a stop in front of the house. "This is where I grew up," James said softly, gesturing in front of them.

"You mean we're in Godric's Hollow?" Lily asked disbelievingly.

James nodded.

Lily's eyebrows shot to her hairline as she gazed at the Potter cottage. "I somehow imagined your house...bigger, since you came from such a famous family and all."

"Ego isn't always a family trait," James taunted her and Lily grinned.

"This place is incredible," she told him. "There's so much history here. It must cost a fortune to own one of these cottages."

"Its been in my family for a long time," James said proudly, putting his hands in the pockets of his robes. The left one bumped into the velvety box and made James's heart jump.

"While all of this is amazing," Lily said, looking back at James, "I still have to ask, why are we here of all places?"

"Lily, yesterday you said that Petunia was your only surviving family," James started nervously. "But I don't think that's true."

Lily looked at him curiously.

"Family is who you decide," James continued bravely. "They are the people that never let you down and the people you love. Blood means nothing." He looked back at his house. "This is where my family was…and still can be."

"What do you mean?" Lily's voice was trembling.

James shifted his weight nervously. "The apartment in London… I only bought it because it was close to the Marauders and the Ministry. But now that we quit our jobs…"

"James Potter," Lily said disbelievingly. "Are you asking me to move here with you?"

James knelt down on one knee. "I'm asking you to marry me."

Lily's hand went to her mouth.

"Lily Evans," James said solemnly, pulling the treasured ring from his pocket. "Will you marry me?"

Lily could only nod, at first slowly, as if she still didn't believe it, but then faster and faster until she threw her arms around him. "Yes," she breathed. "Yes, of course."

James gave a shout of joy and stood, circling his arms around her waist in a tight embrace. He spun her around, their laughter echoing in the deserted hollow.

"I love you," he told her happily, leaning in for a kiss.

Lily smiled as their lips touched. "I love you too." James slipped the ring on her finger, and Lily stared at it incredulously.

"Who would've thought seven years ago we would end up like this?" Lily murmured to herself as the ring caught the light.

"I know I'm not the same as your parents," James said, blushing. "But mine are gone too and I just thought, you know… Now we could be a family."

Lily just shook her head in amazement. "You know, once you deflate that ego, Potter, you really are a great guy."

"You're not so bad yourself, Evans," James retorted with a grin. "Or should I say, soon-to-be Mrs. Potter."

"Lily and James Potter," Lily murmured to herself as the two stared up at the Potter Cottage.

"It kind of has a ring to it," James told her.

"It really does," she smiled.

Hooking her arm in his, James opened the ivy-covered gate and led the way past the garden to the front door.

"Its not Hogwarts," he said with a smile as it swung open. "But welcome home."

**THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING! I TRY AND PERSONALLY RESPOND TO EACH REVIEW! LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK AND WHAT YOU WANT TO SEE NEXT. ANOTHER CHAPTER IS ALREADY HALFWAY DONE SO AN UPDATE WILL BE SOON.**

**STORY IS NOT COMPLETE. **


	9. Lily Said Yes

**STORY NOT COMPLETE.**

**LOVED WRITING THIS CHAPTER. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO REVIEWS. I TRY AND PM EVERY ONE TO LET YOU GUYS KNOW HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE IT. AND WITHOUT FURTHER ADO…**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.**

"_I have told James all along that you were nothing but trouble," Sirius continued, his face contorted in fury. "I have always maintained that you were just a tease and you would never, ever, take him seriously! But he wouldn't listen. No, he wouldn't. He saw something in you that he never cared to share. And now here we are. Merlin knows I tried to warn him!"_

**THE FIRST TIME…Lily Said Yes**

Lily stared out the window of her classroom at the cool October sunshine. It was a beautiful Tuesday afternoon. She could picture how the grounds looked right now, with an array of golden leaves hanging from each tree and a warm breeze sweeping in to ripple the waters of the lake. Birds would flutter from the Forbidden Forest to leave behind the growing chilly weather for the warmth of the south. The sun would be high in the sky right now, shining over the mountains and the treetops and most of all, Hogwarts. Lily smiled. What a beautiful—

"Miss Evans, did you hear me?"

"What?" Lily broke out of her reverie to notice about ten pairs of eyes staring her way.

"I asked what the most important component to the Patronus Charm was," Professor Merrigan repeated.

"Oh," Lily scrambled to look through the sparse notes in front of her. "Er—a memory. You need a memory."

Merrigan looked disproving but he accepted her answer with a curt nod and moved on. Lily sighed in relief.

"A memory is correct," he said, moving amongst the rows of students. "But what type of memory… Mr. Potter?"

"A happy one," James answered on cue.

"Correct," Merrigan smiled.

Sirius smirked. "Hey Evans," he whispered, turning around from the desk in front of her and Marlene. "I cant believe James just answered a question right faster than you."

Lily only scowled and turned back to her parchment.

"Touchy," the handsome Seventh Year observed.

"Oh piss off," Marlene told Sirius. "I thought you of all people would approve of our new Lily. Shirking notes in class to stare out windows, only answering half a question right." Marlene touched her heart. "She's finally becoming a teenager."

"We've trained her so well," Sirius sniffed with fake emotion. "Our little girl, growing up." He nudged James who sat next to him, but James only a smiled a bit and returned to his notes.

Sirius rolled his eyes in exasperation. "We may have rubbed off on you, Evans, but you've rubbed off on James as well it seems."

"James Potter, taking notes," Marlene smiled, pushing out her bottom lip. "How sweet."

"Being Head Boy has ruined him, I fear," Sirius continued on dramatically, placing a hand over his forehead. "Who knows if he will ever recover!"

"Am I boring you?"

Professor Merrigan was gazing at them sternly from the front of the classroom. Marlene and Lily immediately put their heads back down towards their books, but Sirius only grinned and stood. "Of course not, Professor Merrigan," he said sincerely. "I just couldn't help but brag that my friend James here can actually produce a full-fledged Patronus."

"Sirius!" James whispered through gritted teeth, tugging on Sirius's robe sleeve.

"Mr. Potter, is this true?" Merrigan asked, his eyebrows raised.

"I've seen it," Sirius bragged, swatting away James's hands.

"Please sit down, Mr. Black," Merrigan said sternly. "I was asking Mr. Potter." He turned his gaze back to James, who was red in the face. "Is what Mr. Black says true?"

James sunk down in his chair and nodded. The whole class broke into excited whispers and even Lily felt a strange mixture of jealously and admiration at James's forced confession. Patronus Charms were incredibly complicated, especially those that took the shape of an actual animal. Even Professor Merrigan was only hoping for half-formed ones at most from his N.E.W.T. level students.

"Well then, I think a demonstration is in order if you don't mind, Mr. Potter," Merrigan said, which quickly shut the class up. James glared at Sirius, who only winked knowingly.

Pushing himself out of his seat, James walked slowly to the front of the classroom, wand tightly gripped in his right hand. Lily held her breath.

"Can he really do it, Sirius?" Marlene whispered.

Sirius nodded eagerly. "Of course! James has been able for about a year now."

"That's so impressive!" she said, her eyes wide. She glanced at Lily excitedly.

"Now, before we see what a full-fledged Patronus looks like," Merrigan said, "Let's remember our instructions. What do we do first? …Mr. Lupin."

"Stand still and think of a happy memory," Remus said quickly from the front row.

"Correct. Then what do we do with that happy memory, Miss Vance?"

"Let it fill you up completely," Emmeline replied.

"And finally? Mr. Longbottom."

"Raise your wand towards whatever you're targeting and hold it straight," Frank nodded confidently.

"Good, good," Merrigan smiled. "That's very important. There's no silly wand waving or wrist movements associated with this charm. Its power comes purely from the heart."

"So now—Mr. Potter." Their professor turned towards James, who looked very out of place standing at the front of the classroom. The Head Boy ruffled his hair and looked, in Lily's opinion, to be slightly embarrassed.

"Go ahead and fill yourself with what makes you happiest," Merrigan instructed. "And then cast the charm when you are ready."

James took a deep breath and raised his wand. It could've been Lily's imagination, but she was almost positive that right before he spoke, James had looked right at her. His hazel eyes had sought hers out in the room of Gryffindors for no longer than a second and made Lily's heart stop.

"Expecto Patronum!" James shouted and a giant stag erupted from the end of his wand. It pranced once around the classroom to a chorus of gasps as it leaped from desk to desk until finally vanishing in a burst of light.

"Well done, well done!" Professor Merrigan clapped loudly. "Ten points to Gryffindor for such a wonderful demonstration! Well done!"

The class joined in their applause and Sirius even wolf whistled. James's face was tinged red as Merrigan patted him on the back and allowed him to sit down.

"That was amazing!" Marlene whispered up to him as James slid in next to Sirius.

"Great job!" Frank Longbottom leaned over the row from where he sat with Alice. His girlfriend flashed James a thumbs up.

"I could never do that," Mary whispered back from where her and Emmeline sat at the front of the classroom.

"That was really impressive," Lily said, leaning forward on her elbows. James glanced back at her and finally smiled slightly. Sirius waggled his eyebrows knowingly at his best friend. James only flushed and punched Sirius in the arm.

"Yes, yes, well done, James," Merrigan repeated as he raised his arms to quiet the class. "We will now have time to spread out throughout the room and practice this charm with a partner. As Mr. Potter just demonstrated, the Patronus Charm can be produced at this level if you simply try hard enough. Now pair up and off you go."

Excited by James's success, the sound of scraping chairs filled the room as the Gryffindor's spread out in groups.

"So how do you do it?" Marlene asked James as they and their partners made their way towards the window. "There must be some sort of secret."

"You just have to have something that makes you truly happy," James said with a modest shrug. Once again, Lily thought his eyes flicked over to her and she blushed.

"Once you do that, its easy," Sirius said with a jaunty grin. "Expecto Patronum!"

The handsome Beater raised his wand straight into the air and allowed a large, bear-like dog to burst forth from the end. All around the classroom, Gryffindors stopped what they were doing to watch with astonished eyes. The dog leapt up to the ceiling, right through Mary McDonald's outstretched hand, and disappeared.

A smattering of applause rose once again as Sirius bowed. Lily felt like her jaw was touching the floor and was glad to see Marlene looked equally as impressed. "You two are just the most talented wizards I've ever seen!" Marlene exclaimed, crossing her arms with disbelief. "How do you do it?"

"Magic," Sirius grinned as James rolled his eyes.

"So, Sirius is a dog and James is a stag," Marlene said slowly. "What does that mean? Patronuses are supposed to mean something about that person and their character, right?"

James gave Sirius a pointed look that seemed to say, "Now you've done it."

"Er… Dogs are very loyal and loving creatures," Lily quickly said. "Just like Sirius and his relationship with the Marauders. Dogs are also very intelligent and protective of those they love."

Marlene smiled. "Impressive, Sirius."

Sirius nodded eagerly, looking relieved.

"What about stags?" Marlene asked curiously. James looked ready to smack himself in the head.

Lily's mind went into overdrive trying to think of what she knew about stags. "Well, stags used to be a sign of nobility and honor," Lily said slowly. "Stags, versus regular deer, are typical fighters who aren't afraid to challenge the others in their species for a specific habitat or a mating partner."

"Sounds like you, Prongs," Lily heard Sirius whisper to James, who only shot him a glare.

"Well, then I guess these Patronus things really do tell something about your personality," Marlene laughed obliviously as the other three shifted uncomfortably. "I can't wait to see what mine is, if I'm even able to produce one."

"I'll be your partner," Sirius volunteered quickly. Lily didn't know whether he did it to escape a fuming James or distract Marlene but either way, his plan worked.

"Partners?" Lily asked James. He nodded, still glaring at Sirius who was now across the room.

"That was close," he said, shaking his head. "If anyone were to suspect… Good cover though on the personality thing."

"It's doubtful anyone would suspect your Patronus from coming anywhere outside your personality," Lily said. "And it wasn't much of a cover anyways. I think a dog and a stag fit you two more than you know."

James only mumbled under his breath until Lily elbowed him with a smile. "Sirius was only trying to help."

"Sirius has a skewed idea of 'helping'," James responded darkly.

"Your Patronus _was_ impressive, James," Lily said earnestly. "Sirius just wanted to show it off."

"Was it really that good?" he asked seriously.

Lily grinned and nodded. "Even I was shocked."

"And that's saying something," James added, finally losing a bit of his bitter tone. Lily laughed.

"Want to help me see if I can take a step towards the pedestal you're currently standing on?"

"Challenge accepted."

Around the room, pairs of Gryffindors at the N.E.W.T. level were shouting, "Expecto Patronum" at such a level that Lily wouldn't be surprised if Professor McGonagall, whose office was right above the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, didn't start banging on her floor for quiet.

"Steady," James said, watching Lily raise her arm swiftly. "You're too inclined to sway your wrist somewhat."

"Its hard," Lily said through gritted teeth.

"No its not. Just concentrate on bringing your arm straight."

Lily took a deep breath and brought the wand in a perfect line from her side to about level with her shoulder.

"Good," James said. Lily made a face. She wasn't used to being taught by James Potter. Usually she was the one that everyone turned to for help in class. Herbology, Charms, Potions, you name it; Lily was the top of the pack. But in Defense Against the Dark Arts, James always gave her a run for her money.

"Now, the biggest thing is your happy thought," James continued, walking closer to her. "Its got to be something really powerful, really meaningful."

Lily couldn't think of anything. "Maybe when I found out I was a witch?" she queried aloud but then she frowned. Snape tainted that memory.

"What's your happy thought?" she asked James curiously.

His face flushed scarlet. "Not important."

"It might help me!" Lily said, truly wanting to know. James only shook his head.

"Come on, there has to be something happier," he insisted, brushing past her plea. "You've just got to think."

Lily paused. Most of her life at been bittersweet. The day Severus called her a mudblood was the day she gained the Marauders as friends. The time Gryffindor won the House Cup her first year was tainted by Snape's disappointment over at the Slytherin table. Her first Hogsmeade trip had resulted in Sirius jumping out at her Zonko's so that she fell over and crushed a whole table of fake wands. She couldn't look anyone in the eye without them miming her shocked expression for weeks.

"I guess… I could use when I got an 'Outstanding' on all of my O.W.L.s," Lily finally decided.

"Is that some sort of record?" James asked, impressed.

Lily shrugged.

"Well, I think it counts," James said. "Lets try it. Just let that memory fill you up, then raise your wand and say the words."

Lily took a deep breath, remembering how she'd opened the letter at the kitchen table and how proud her parents had been. The whole Wizarding World had been open to her at that moment. Any career she wanted could be hers. She raised her wand.

"Expecto Patronum!"

A small, silvery shield burst from her wand and then slowly faded away.

Lily scowled in frustration.

"I was so close," she muttered as a couple of her classmates gave her thumbs up at her progress.

"You flicked your wand again!" James told her. "You've got to stop doing that! The wand raising should be the simplest part."

"I know, I know!" Lily exclaimed, putting her hands on her hips. "I'm trying! I don't know why I do it!"

"Here," James put his left hand on her left shoulder. "Lets try its again. But this time, I'll help your wrist from moving too much." His other hand wrapped gently over her wand hand.

Lily's breath quickened. James was very close to her, his chest brushing up against her back as his hand intertwined with hers. When he next spoke, Lily could feel his warm breath against her neck. Her skin prickled.

"So just like this," James moved her wand up and down. "You're so used to more complex spells that your wrist naturally feels trained to move around but you can't let that happen."

Lily managed a nod. Did the room suddenly get hotter or was that just her?

"Okay," James's voice buzzed in her ear. He grasped her shoulder tightly. "Try again on the count of three. One…"

Lily took a deep breath and tried to think about the O.W.L.s and her kitchen on that warm summer day. Her mother's face beaming with pride. Her fathers lopsided smile as he…what was that smell? Was James wearing cologne? The smell was rich as Lily took another breath. It was so familiar, so…James. It reminded her of butterbeer fights and late night bickering, arrogant remarks and carefree laughs.

"Two…"

Lily's eyes closed shut. She had to focus. She could see the paper bearing her marks in her mind. The feel of the parchment. The way her chest swelled with pride so much it almost… James's hand tightened on hers and Lily's stomach flip flopped. His chin brushed at her ear. Unwittingly, Lily's mind strayed to when she had kissed him in Sixth Year. They'd never talked about it again afterwards but part of Lily always wished it had been brought up. His mouth had been so soft and she could still feel the way his hair had felt in her hands. She remembered how he had placed his arms around her waist and held her tightly, just as he was doing now.

"Three!"

She wasn't ready! Lily opened her eyes frantically as James raised her wand straight into the air.

"Expecto Patronum!" she managed to shout.

A silver force erupted from the end of her wand so brightly that Lily actually stumbled backwards. James's arms came up to catch her as Lily's Patronus shot across the room, weaving in-between desks and through chairs. All around the room Gryffindors jumped out of the way to let the streak of silver pass by. It shot over Merrigan's desk and then off the blackboard, as if excited to be free at last. Frank gave a congratulatory whoop and a few other classmates began to applaud, watching as the blurred creature slowed to a trot. As it turned back to Lily, the Patronus halted and Lily could finally see what shape her soul had chosen.

The class went silent.

James's hands dropped from her shoulders and the Patronus disappeared into a mist of silver. Lily's heart was thudding, its beat completely encasing her body as ten pairs of eyes turned to face her. Most looked surprised, some were smiling and a few were even a little frightened. But Lily didn't see any of them. All she could see was the silvery light of her Patronus still burning in her vision, its outline slowly fading with every blink.

Looking back at James, Lily saw he looked just as shocked as she did. For once, she didn't have a quick explanation or bossy retort to the questioning looks around her. She had no solid reasoning or book citation to answer them. For the image that appeared in front of her had been the last one she had expected. The form that her soul, the very essence of her being, had taken was a shape that could only be explained by destiny. By fate.

Lily Evans's Patronus was a doe.

* * *

><p>"Lily, please wait up!"<p>

The minute the bell had rung, Lily bolted from the classroom, avoiding the whispers and gazes that had followed her the remainder of the period. She had side-stepped James on the way out, who looked like he wanted to talk to her, and broke into a run the moment her feet hit the corridor.

"Lily, wait!"

She could hear the thudding footsteps of Marlene and Alice behind her, who were running to keep up.

"I don't want to talk to you!" Lily shouted back, nearly bowling over a few Hufflepuffs as she rounded a corner on the Fourth Floor.

"Please, just stop!" That was Marlene's voice. Being Head Girl with James had taught her a few tricks about the castle and its passageways. She took a sharp right and darted through a nearby tapestry. Instantly, Lily was plunged into a stuffy silence, as the stone walls muffled the world outside.

She continued to race until she reached the library. Sneaking under Madam Pince's disproving glare, Lily finally slid into a seat at the farthest edge of the library. Though she took her books out around her to at least appear studious, Lily was being anything but. Her mind was whirling, her thoughts traveling a million miles an hour as students came and went around her. She heard the sounds of afternoon classes finishing, then the typical evening study time go by, and then finally, dinner. Still, Lily didn't get up.

That's how Alice and Marlene found her as they wove through the library with caution, avoiding the few accusatory stares of other older students who had skipped dinner to study. It was times like this that Lily was glad they were no longer close with Emmeline and Mary. It was two less people to look at her curiously at a time like this. Two less people marching over to her and demanding answers she didn't have.

"We need to talk," Marlene stated firmly as the two invited themselves to sit down.

"No we don't," Lily said, looking fiercely down at her books. "There is nothing to talk about."

Lily could almost feel the other two roll their eyes.

"I hope you know we're not coming here for you," Alice suddenly said. It got Lily's attention. "I'm perfectly happy to let you wallow in your own self-created pity."

"We're here for James," Marlene said as she crossed her arms.

Lily snorted. "Does James know that? He likes to take care of his own problems—."

"You're being a bitch," Marlene said flatly.

"Excuse me?" Lily exclaimed loudly. Madam Pince glared from the bookshelf over. Lily lowered her head, abashed.

"It's the truth, Lily," Alice sighed. "You've holed yourself up in the library all day in order to avoid James. Don't try and tell me that's not the reason you've suddenly taken a big interest in studying."

Lily couldn't help that she reddened easily. She really couldn't.

Marlene shook her head. "We haven't seen the Marauders since you stormed off after Defense Against the Dark Arts. Well, except Sirius, who's fuming, by the way. Everyone saw you brush James off at the end of class and run away. And when you didn't show up to dinner?"

"Frank asked me to come find you," Alice said matter-of-factly. "According to him, he's been afraid to go into his dormitory all day. All he can hear inside is a bunch of yelling and banging around."

"I don't think anyone has the right to be angry with me," Lily said sullenly.

"Fat joke," Alice snorted darkly.

Lily only glared at her.

"So how long have you known?" Marlene asked.

"Known what?"

"That you were in love with James," Marlene said in an obvious sort of tone.

"Wait a second," Lily said, her hands coming up defensively. "What would ever give you the idea that I—," she spluttered searching for words and failed.

"Lily," Alice rolled her eyes. "Your Patronus took the form of a stag's mate less than four hours ago."

"It kind of means you guys are soul mates," Marlene told her, slightly red in the face.

"Hold up!" Lily exclaimed, earning another glare from Madam Pince. "Since when did you believe in soul mates? And Alice, since when did you start chastising people for something they aren't involved in? I think the Patronus means nothing and that everyone should just drop it."

"All I know, Lily," Alice said gravely, "Is that your and James's Patronuses matched, Sirius is fuming at your silent treatment, James looks like he's been slapped in the face since about two o'clock, Peter is the angriest I've ever seen him and Remus is actually proposing to take over James's Head duties tonight."

"So?" Lily pointed out sharply.

"So…" Marlene said annoyed, "We've never pried into your life, Lily. You've always been very happy to keep to yourself and we've never made you hang out with us any more than you want to. But as far as we knew, you didn't even associate with the Marauders much and James has been nothing more than a particularly interested classmate."

"What Marlene's trying to say," Alice continued. "Is that clearly we're missing something? What's going on?"

Lily blushed. "Er…. You guys go to bed early?"

"And…?"

The two Gryffindor Seventh Years sat impatiently.

"There's a lot you don't know about me and the Marauders," Lily said quietly.

"Clearly," Marlene exclaimed.

"So start from the beginning," Alice prompted.

"I don't know—," Lily started, unsure, but a glare from Alice silenced her.

"Lily Evans, we are not in the mood to wheedle this out of you," she said sharply. "If you don't tell us, we are marching upstairs and telling Sirius right where you are. He's the best dueler in the school and trust me, he's yearning to practice on you right now."

"Fine," Lily snapped, feeling the collar of her robes tighten uncomfortably. "I…er….well, I guess— I guess it starts with the first day on the train. James and I sat together…"

And so Lily began the story that nobody knew. For the story of her and James had happened in broom closets and Forbidden Forests, firelit Common Rooms and under invisibility cloaks. By accident and on purpose, Lily had witnessed the start of fantastical maps, seen the scars of werewolves, and experienced just how tight of a bond four teenage boys could form. In the dark parts of night and the odd times of day, Lily had watched as James conquered Quidditch games and helped Peter master everything from Charms to Potions. Sirius had taught her Wizard Chess, Remus had shown Lily her first secret passageway, Peter had mapped out where the shortcuts to all her classes were, and James….

James had done all of that and more. Lily, with lessening hesitation, began to grow more confident as she recalled her years at Hogwarts with the Marauders. She told them about James comforting her that day in Fifth Year when Sev had called her a mudblood and how she'd kissed him in their Sixth. Lily confessed their long talks about life and death during their rounds as Heads. She told them how James had gone after Snape once when he was in trouble just so that Lily wouldn't get angry with him. She confessed the tutoring he did for her Fourth Year and that she'd half-carried him to bed after late nights of studying in their Sixth. She told them how through their fighting and their bantering, she'd ended up sharing her hopes and fears with the Chaser, who'd in turn, bared his soul to her.

By the time she had finished, Marlene and Alice were no longer hiding the looks of astonishment on their faces.

All Marlene could say was, "I knew giving up my crush on James after Third Year was worth it. I never even stood a chance."

Lily's face burned crimson.

"I always thought that boy had the hots for you, Lily, but I never thought it was this bad," Alice said stunned.

"Why didn't you ever tell us any of this!" Marlene exclaimed as Lily studied her fingernails with interest. "All this time we've been thinking someday you'll come around to realizing James is a great guy when all the while, you've already known it!"

"Look, its not that simple—," Lily started but Marlene cut her off again.

"Lily, you just laid it out pure and simple," her friend declared. "I don't see how you're possibly complicating this."

Lily leaned away from Marlene, eyebrows drawing together in typical Lily fashion. "I didn't even realize until now all those moments meant anything! They were always just typical James and I. Nothing special."

"Nothing special?" Marlene exclaimed. "Your Patronus took shape to match his! That's pretty bloody special!"

Alice couldn't stop shaking her head and staring stunned at the redhead opposite her. "All this time, I knew James liked you, Lily. I could tell in the way he looked at you when you were taking notes or laughing at dinner or even just studying in the Common Room. I had an idea you fancied him too, because you were watching him behind your quill and from under your books when he wasn't paying attention either. But I never—"

She trailed off.

Lily groaned, sinking her head into her hands.

"So when did you realize you loved him?" Marlene repeated.

"I didn't," Lily defended once more.

"But then how did your Patronus match his if you didn't even know you loved him?"

"Maybe because she always knew," Alice said softly, looking at Lily in a strange new light.

"So what are you going to do?" Marlene asked Lily in awe.

Lily put her head on the table. "I have no idea. That's why I've been sitting here for hours."

"How long can you put off seeing him?" Alice asked quietly.

"We were supposed to do rounds together tonight," Lily groaned.

"Isn't the point of having two Heads is so that you can take turns doing rounds?" Marlene asked, confused.

Lily blushed.

Alice grinned. "You and James totally have been doing rounds together since the start of term."

"Its not much fun when you're alone," Lily defended.

Marlene waggled her eyebrows suggestively and Lily hit her in the arm. The mood instantly lightened between the three girls.

"Lily, Lily, Lily," Marlene sighed with a grin. "You are single-handedly the most ignorant person I have ever known."

"Am not," Lily said indignantly.

"It took your Patronus shooting about the class to tell you that you and James have something real," Alice pointed out, her lips twitching. "I'm sorry, but Marlene's right."

Lily slumped in her seat. "I knew that boy would be the death of me from day one."

Alice smiled and looked about to say something but what, Lily never found out. For at that moment, a very angry "Oi!" sounded from a few shelves over. "Oi, Evans, come out, come out!"

Lily stood, heart thudding. Usually, the owner of that voice coaxed reluctant giggles and fond smiles from her but not today. Sirius was going to kill her. He truly was. The shelf that housed "Magical Herbs and Ointments" loomed overhead protectively, being the only thing separating Lily from Sirius's oncoming rampage. As his footsteps grew louder, Alice and Marlene stood defensively and Lily gave them a nod of appreciation. As much as they declared that they had come for James, Lily knew they wouldn't desert her.

"EVANS!" The roar that Sirius managed to say her name in was remarkable.

Lily stood her ground, trying not to quiver as the Gryffindor beater skidded to a stop next to her.

"WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?"

Lily's lip trembled but she gripped the desk for support and stared into his livid eyes.

"Hello Sirius."

"DON'T HELLO SIRIUS ME! DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'VE DONE, YOU UNGRATEFUL LITTLE—."

"Sirius!" Alice shouted angrily. "Calm down, you're freaking out the whole library!"

And indeed, students had emerged from all corners to peer at the small group. Sirius was a frightening sight. His black curls were a mess, framing his blotchy cheeks and maniacal eyes that gazed at Lily like something out of a horror movie.

"DETENTION!" Madam Pince squawked, swooping in on them like a bird of prey. "DETENTION, MR. BLACK!"

"Give it to me!" Sirius roared. Even she looked taken aback at this.

"Sirius, I'm sorry," Lily blurted sincerely. "I didn't mean to—."

Lily immediately regretted drawing the attention back to her.

"You're _sorry_?" Sirius hissed, waving off Madam Pince's attempts to remove him from the library. "_You're sorry_?"

"Yes." Lily's cheeks were crimson.

"I have told James all along that you were nothing but trouble," Sirius continued, his face contorted in fury. "I have _always _maintained that you were just a tease and you would never, _ever, _take him seriously! But he wouldn't listen. No, he wouldn't. He saw something in you that he never cared to share. And now here we are. Merlin knows I tried to warn him!"

Lily felt her eyes burn at his scathing words. Marlene, sensing danger as Madam Pince went off muttering about calling the Headmaster, quickly picked up her things and took Sirius by the robe. She dragged him from the library, Alice and Lily following abashedly.

"I don't know who you think you are, Evans," Sirius continued to rage all the way out the door. "Like what happened in Defense Against the Dark Arts was James's fault! You've hidden from him all day. Not even courageous enough to go face him!"

"Sirius its not that big of a deal—," Alice started.

"Not that big of a deal?" Sirius cut her off with a huff, whirling on the girls in the corridor. "You don't even know most of the story, Wright, so don't tell me what's not a big deal. Its not just today that I'm pissed about! It's every single day of the last seven years that Evans here has spent treating James as inferior to her! This is the straw that broke the camel's back!"

Lily discreetly wiped away the water gathering at her eyes.

"Oh shut it, Sirius!" Marlene hissed, glancing at Lily concerned. "She said she was sorry! You don't need to be so mean!"

"I wouldn't have to be if Lily didn't start it!"

"I'm sorry okay!" Lily cried out. "I'm sorry Sirius!"

He was panting heavily as he glared at her under thick eyebrows.

"I'm sorry," she repeated, trembling. "But its not like you guys were ever saints to me either, okay!"

Sirius scoffed.

"You guys died my hair blue! You let the whole school think I was a freak! You tortured my only friend and never even looked back to apologize. While you and James were up there being the gods of Quidditch for those first few years, I was down here, lonely.

Lily shook her head, her voice growing stronger. "I was humiliated by you two on too many occasions to count. We were all young and stupid, okay? But what James saw in me is between him and me. And _you, _Sirius, would never know because you never cared enough to see if I was okay! You never spent those nights in the Common Room with me or trying to talk to me at another lonely dinner in the Great Hall."

Sirius's cheeks had grown even redder as Lily took a shaky step back. "Don't come here and tell me what I have and haven't done right the last seven years before first taking a look at yourself!"

And turning, she fled.

"Lily, wait!"

For the second time that day, Lily Evans heard Alice and Marlene chasing after her as she began racing up staircases and past tapestries, pushing aside First Years with ease. Her eyes burned with shame and humiliation as she whipped down the corridors, not caring who she—

Whoomf.

"Ouch, Lily," Peter Pettigrew groaned as Lily toppled over him. He had been running in the opposite direction.

"Sorry," she muttered. "Didn't see you."

Peter's lips twitched in what looked like the beginning of a smile but as Lily stood and brushed off her robes, his face fell. "Everyone's really mad at you," he said gravely.

"Aren't you, too?" Lily asked darkly and Peter flushed.

"Look, Lily, I don't want to be angry," he said as they set off again down the corridors. "I know you didn't mean it but Lupin and Black are really angry."

"I've already ran into Sirius," Lily said, her heart falling at the realization Remus was also angry.

"I don't see what the big deal is," Peter said. "I think its okay for you to do whatever. Of course, I wasn't even in your Defense Against the Dark Arts class today so I cant properly judge."

Lily must've looked sour for Peter quickly corrected, "No, I didn't mean that in a bad way!"

"I hate the Marauders," she murmured and Peter shrank back, embarrassed.

"We're not all—."

"Lily!" Remus Lupin's shout cut Peter off as he emerged around the corner ahead. "Lily, we need to talk!"

"I know!" Lily exclaimed, walking past the frustrated werewolf. "I know it all! I've been informed. I am a terrible person and I should've fallen at James's feet the minute that Patronus Charm burst from my wand. I'm sorry, okay!"

"Sirius found you didn't he," Remus said grimly as he fell into step behind her with Peter. "I'm sorry for whatever he said but I have to agree you were incredibly rude—."

"Argh!" Lily yelled, covering her ears and breaking into a run. "Just leave me alone!"

She skidded around corners as Lupin and Pettigrew panted behind her. "Lily just slow down and let's talk about it!"

"This is between me and James," she yelled back. "No one else!"

"Lily!" Alice, Marlene, and Sirius burst out of a portrait ahead of her. "Stop we need to talk!"

"No we don't!" Lily kept running as Alice made to catch her arm.

The wind ruffled her red hair as the haphazard group raced their way to the Gryffindor Common Room. But Lily was in front of them all, her heart thudding as they turned corner after corner. What Sirius had said wasn't unfounded, but he only knew half the story. Everyone did. Well everyone except…

Lily shook the Head Boy from her mind. This was all his fault! She hadn't asked for him to follow her around like a puppy dog, or enlisted him to point out every little mistake she made from the day she stepped into Hogwarts. Lily had never wanted his criticism in classes or his smirk from across the dinner table. She had never!

"Morphicus!" Lily almost screamed as she reached the Fat Lady.

"Calm down, dear," the lady tutted with a frown. "No need to shout."

She swung open as the motley crew behind her finally caught up. But Lily was already through the portrait hole, nearly tripping in her haste to get up to her dormitory. Hands grabbed at her robes but she broke free, stumbling into a nearly empty room. Nearly.

"Hi Lily." James Potter smiled almost pleasantly from the fireplace. He was lounging on the sofa, _Quidditch Through the Ages _clasped in his hand.

Lily paused, stricken, as almost the rest of their Gryffindor year piled in behind her.

"Are you alright?"

Lily hurriedly wiped away the leftover mascara and tears from her face that hadn't dried in her run. "I'm fine," she said shakily.

Behind her, their friends had also grown silent. Standing, James threw the worn book in his bag and brushed off his robes. "Well, ready to start rounds?"

Lily could barely nod as James grinned at her. Anyone could tell the smile didn't reach his eyes.

"James, I—."

"I've got it, Moony," James said seriously as Lupin attempted to speak up. And he vanished out the portrait hole. Gulping, Lily followed, head hung low so as not to meet the stares of the Marauders.

"I figure it's a little early, but might as well get a head start on ushering people back to their Common Rooms," James pondered, as he walked in front of her. "Especially in these dangerous times when attacks on students growing. Probably a good idea." He looked back. "Are you going to hang back there all night, Lily?"

Lily's face burned as she jogged to catch up to him. There was a lull of silence as James opened closest doors and broom cupboards as they passed, looking for students in hiding. Usually they played a game to see who could catch the most students out of bed. James always argued he should have the ability to use the map since he made it but Lily said that was cheating. Sirius thankfully also maintained that they made the map in order to break rules, not catch the heirs to their troublemaking legacy. Lily's heart sunk lower as James sent a couple Ravenclaws off to bed and didn't even count them against her in their ongoing war.

The corridor was oddly empty, with only the occasional Hogwarts ghost floating through. Nearly Headless Nick gave them a nod as he passed with the Fat Friar and Lily did her best to offer a weak smile back. Just like every night, they urged students back to their Common Rooms, confiscated illegal dungbombs and Zonko's products, and scoured the halls looking for trespassers. However, laughter and playful teasing didn't accompany tonight. Tonight was silent. They had nearly made it a full two floors up when James finally spoke.

"Are you going to ignore me all night?"

Lily jumped a little at the echo of the words in the breezy corridor. "I—I thought maybe you wouldn't want to speak to me."

James pondered that in silence for a moment before saying, "I don't see any reason why I wouldn't want to speak to you, Evans. Why were you thinking I wouldn't want to?"

Lily blushed for the zillionth time that night. "Because of….Because of Defense Against the Dark Arts today."

"Oh that?" James seemed to brush it off nonchalantly but Lily could tell his jaw tightened at her words. "That was nothing."

"Really?" Lily asked stunned. "Everyone's been saying it was a _huge_ deal."

"Nah," James put his hands in his pockets and didn't meet her gaze. "I don't know why everyone freaked out at your Patronus. It could just mean you also have a personality like a stag. We're not that different personality-wise when you think about it."

"Oh." Lily didn't like how her heart sank at his words.

"We're both proud and loyal and have a rather feisty temper at times," James continued, still not looking at her. "It makes sense that our Patronuses match."

Lily nodded, a cold feeling of disappointment in her stomach. They marched up some staircases and through some of the more discreet passageways James knew, outing a few Slytherin Fifth Years from the hiding place.

"James?" Lily suddenly asked, her voice a little higher-pitched than she would've liked. "What's your happy memory for your Patronus?"

The Head Boy of Hogwarts was silent as he fiddled with his badge. "Well…why do you want to know?"

"Is it a secret?" Lily asked.

He gave a furtive glance. "Not exactly."

"Then why cant you tell me?"

He sighed. "Well….its not really a memory, per se. Or it is… It's a collection of memories. Never just the same one."

Lily nodded encouragingly, her heart picking up pace again. "So what is it?"

James gave her a look of longing and murmured, "Expecto Patrnoum." For the second time that day, a silver stag burst forth from his wand and galloped up and down the corridor before vanishing into a stone wall. Lily still didn't understand.

James sighed. "Its complicated. And its not that big of a deal. I mean look, yours was produced by the O.W.L.s memory and that's not super significant—."

"Actually," Lily cut him off nervously. "I'm not sure that produced it. I got…distracted…" And what she said was true. The more she had thought back to that moment during the hours in the library; Lily had realized the last thought leaving her mind before she cast her charm was indeed…James.

"What distracted you?" James asked, with what looked like hope growing on his face as he slowed to a stop.

Lily's face burned. "You were standing so close…An-And my mind just couldn't focus… I'm sorry."

For a moment, James just stood there in shock, mouth hanging slightly open. And then he started to laugh. A true laugh. Lily shuffled her feet uncertainly.

"Oh, Lily!" He picked her up around the waist and swung her around, ignoring her attempt at "James-put me down-what are you doi—?"

"Lily, Lily, Lily," his face was beaming. "I could just kiss you right now." And not bothering to set her on her feet, he did.

Lily barely had time to think as his smiling mouth connected with hers a few feet off the ground. James had strong arms and he held her there while he half laughed and half kissed her. It was no use to struggle as he pressed her against him, lips on hers, smiling at if there wasn't a care in the world.

"I-I don't understand," Lily managed to stammer, red in the face, as James set her back on her feet with a grin.

"What don't you understand?" James asked happily, his glasses nearly sliding off his face.

"You just-you just kissed me," Lily said faintly. "Why?"

"Why?" James smile grew wider, if that was possible. "This is why, Lily Evans."

And leaning closer towards her, he raised his wand and whispered, "Expecto Patronum."

Once more, the stag burst from his wand. Unlike other times, however, Lily had to shield her eyes at the silvery light that suddenly illuminated the corridor. The stag was radiant, nearly impossible to see, as it bounced off the walls to James's peals of laughter.

"Don't you see, Lily?" he asked her breathlessly as the stag disappeared. "You're it. You're my happy memory."

"I'm your happy memory?" Lily asked dazed.

James nodded, grinning. "And I'm yours."

"Which means…" Lily said with a dawning realization that suddenly made her feel shy.

"Our Patronuses mean more than just personality," James completed softly.

Lily sat for a moment, trying to soak in what just happened. The fact she could still feel James's lips pressed against hers wasn't helping her focus. She was James's happy memory? He was hers? Then Marlene had been right. Maybe they really were… soul mates.

James suddenly looked very nervous as Lily broke out of her reverie.

"What is it?" Lily asked, her heart thudding.

"Well…" James began quietly. He shuffled his feet, suddenly anxious. "I guess I was wondering…er…."

Lily waited.

"I wanted to know whether you'd be my, er…date…on the Halloween Hogsmeade trip?"

James waited, biting his lip as Lily felt a warmth spread throughout her body.

"Yes," she said with a smile. "About seven years too late, yes."

James grinned. "I have to admit I never thought that I would hear that answer out of you."

"I have to admit the same," Lily laughed.

"Come on, Evans," James said with a grin, offering her his arm. "Lets go home."

"But we haven't finished our rounds," Lily pointed out.

"Oh let a few kids have their fun," James winked. "I'm not in the mood to spoil anyone's night."

Lily grinned and took his arm. "The more for Filch, the better."

And the two walked away, not knowing they were about to be greeted by a Common Room full of their anxiously waiting friends. Not knowing they would be married in a year's time. Not knowing how they were changing the course of time and that their names would one day become legend.

But what they did know in that moment, as Lily glanced, smiling, over at James and he grinned back as he always did, was that it was the start of something new for them. It was the beginning of a brand new world.

**THANKS FOR READING AND ONCE AGAIN, THIS STORY IS NOT YET OVER AND LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK. THANK YOU!**


	10. Lily Confessed She Was Pregnant

**STORY NOT COMPLETE. **

**I HAVE TO SAY THIS ONE PUT ME THROUGH THE WRINGER A BIT. I HAVE NEVER BEFORE SPENT SO MUCH TIME WITH A CHAPTER AND TAKEN SO LONG ON IT. BUT HOPEFULLY IT PAYS OFF! ORIGINALLY I HAD INTENDED IT TO BE A CONFRONTATION BETWEEN LILY AND SNAPE AFTER HARRY HAD BEEN BORN BUT SHE WENT INTO HIDING WHILE SHE WAS STILL PREGNANT, SO HERE THIS ONE IS. ON ANOTHER SIDE NOTE, IT IS VERY RARE I EVER GIVE REVIEWERS A SHOUT OUT BUT I HAVE TO GIVE A BIG THANK YOU TO ELLIEY BLACK, WHO HAS BEEN SO GREAT TO ME AND THIS STORY. ENJOY. **

"_You mean you're…happy?" Lily asked tentatively. _

_Sirius whipped around, his face beaming. "Happy? Lily, I'm overjoyed."_

"_Really?" She began to allow herself a soft smile. _

"_Why wouldn't I be?" For the second time in the last few minutes, Sirius looked so much older than he actually was. He regarded his best friend's wife with the fondest smile a nineteen-year-old could muster. _

"_I thought maybe, I don't know…" Lily trailed off nervously. "I guess I was worried that in a time like this, a baby was the last thing we needed to worry about."_

"_Lily," Sirius smiled tenderly, putting an arm around her shoulders. "A baby is the perfect symbol of hope that we so desperately need right now. Your little Potter is the best thing that could happen to us all."_

* * *

><p><strong>THE FIRST TIME…Lily Confessed She Was Pregnant.<strong>

"Thanks for coming with me." Lily smiled at Sirius as the two crunched through the snow.

"No problem."

It was cold outside. Lily could hear the wind howl its lonesome song, whistling through the now barren trees. All around, snowflakes the size of knuts fell softly on her nose, melting into drops of water before she could wipe them away. It looked peaceful if you didn't know any better. But if one thing was certain, Lily did know better.

She was more than aware that beyond the safety of the darkened forest and its softly falling snow, Voldemort's Death Eaters were on the move. Somebody somewhere was being tortured. Or murdered. The thought made Lily nauseous.

"So why are we going to a muggle gro-what is it called again? A grovery store?" Sirius asked, stamping past cottages covered in white.

"A grocery store," Lily corrected with a laugh.

"I knew that," Sirius muttered.

"Come on," she pulled him along. "Its not much farther."

They were nineteen years old. Young, by most people's standards. But Lily already felt as though she'd survived a long life. Some days she felt she should be sitting in a rocking chair with her grandchildren around her, knitting scarves and hats for the cold winter. Lily had seen the worst life had to offer. And the best. It was the most anyone her age could hope for in a time as dark as this. She had seen the innocent die, the loyal turn traitor, and the strongest fall apart. But within the desperation and despair wartime brought, Lily also discovered just how powerful love could be. Love and friendship.

For whenever dark thoughts strayed her way, she had James's arms to warm her, Sirius's laugh to make her smile, and Remus's kindness to lift her spirits. Though she rarely saw Peter these days, he too, could still bring a tug to Lily's heart when he visited. Always so nervous and hesitant about even using their bathroom, Lily had grown fond of the forgotten Marauder. She had grown fond of all of them. It was the curse of marrying James she supposed as Sirius tramped alongside her. It was as if she had married four men in one.

"I hope what you're getting is worth it," Sirius grumbled as the grocery store came into view. "Its dangerous being out in these times."

"It's a muggle grocery store on New Year's Eve, Sirius," Lily pointed out. "There will be dozens of people here. I promise, this is the last place Death Eaters will look for us."

"Well I wouldn't count on that," Sirius remarked bitterly. "But if you insist."

"All I need is some buttercream frosting, pickles, and lots of Mars Bars."

Sirius looked at her, one eyebrow raised. "What could you possibly need those for?"

Lily blushed. "I'm craving it."

"Oh Lily," Sirius managed a bemused smile. "You truly are one of the strangest people I know."

A warm gust of air blew from the entrance of the supermarket as the sliding glass doors slid open. As Lily had predicted, they were not the only one's within the day before New Years. The whole store was bustling with carts piled with last minute boxes and bags.

Though the mood was slightly dampened from what Lily typically considered New Years, she knew the muggles were experiencing far less anxiety than everyone else in the Wizarding World. Hype about Voldemort was mounting each day and though they could sense that things were not all right in England, the muggles were still generally unaware of the impending darkness closing in around them.

"They're so ignorant," Sirius said disgustedly. He stuck out like a sore thumb with his emerald cloak. Lily had managed to get him into some pants and a sweater she had made James buy but Sirius had refused to wear a muggle coat.

As a mother with a screaming child passed with interest, Sirius shrank back towards Lily. She only gave him a look that said quite plainly, "I told you so," and began scanning the aisles for what she needed.

By the time they had located the frosting, Lily had found two boxes of cereal, a cake mix, three different flavors of Pringles and a family-sized bag of Pretzels she also wanted to buy. Looking incredulous, Sirius had grabbed her a large cart and said, "You better be glad Prongs can support your lifestyle."

But Lily had a secret as she pushed the cart through the aisle. A secret she hadn't told anyone, not even James. Sirius chatted next to her about his house elf, Kreacher, and how Lupin was doing, and that the Ministry really was a couple of buffoons for not picking up on traitors in their midst. But Lily wasn't listening.

It had been two months. Two long months. And still she hadn't told anyone. Lily couldn't exactly say why, though she supposed it was a mixture of fear and hope. A piece of her still believed that if she didn't acknowledge it, it couldn't be real. They lived in dark times these days. It was no place for a…a…baby.

"Lily, are you okay?"

"Hmm?" Lily jerked back towards Sirius with a false smile on her face. "Oh-yeah, I'm great."

Sirius didn't look convinced but he didn't push as Lily added a jar of pickles to the cart.

"Hey Lil, I'm going to take a piss," Sirius said, eyeing the contents of her cart warily, "Just keep your wand handy and stay in this aisle, okay? James would have me dead faster than You-Know-Who if something happened to you."

Lily nodded, trying to appear cheerful. "Yeah, I wont go far."

Reluctantly, Sirius nodded and swept out of the aisle, startling a man carrying some jars of peanut butter at the end. Lily shook her head with a small smile. If only he had just worn a regular jacket…

The minute Sirius vanished from sight Lily hoisted her bag up over her shoulder and pushed the cart down the aisle. She had some shopping to do that didn't just include her food cravings. Luckily, Sirius's bathroom run enabled her to put off telling him about the… the, er… Well, that wasn't important. Lily pushed it from her mind as she scanned the aisles she was passing. Baking goods, Breads, Cereals, Tea, and here she was. Vitamins.

Biting her lip, Lily entered the empty aisle. The specifics of what she wanted were murky. After all, Lily didn't exactly know what prenatal vitamins were or when she should start using them. Lily sighed. If her mother were here, things would be very different. The fear surrounding Lily's middle wouldn't be so great and her company on vitamin shopping trips wouldn't be the heir to a dark Wizarding fortune. At the thought of Sirius, Lily glanced around furtively, as if imagining him popping out of the nearest Vitamin A.

Quickly, she began to scan the bottles. There were so many options. Vitamin C. Riboflavin. Folic acid. Vitamin D. Potassium. Niacin. The lists were endless. Lily threw a couple bottles of so-called prenatal vitamins into her cart that contained lots of folic acid. Alice had said that was good for pregnant women. The round-faced Gryffindor had surprised Lily with the news of her own pregnancy only a week ago and Lily couldn't help but feel more secure now that she had a friend who was going through the same thing. In fact, according to Lily's math, her and Alice would be due almost the same time. The redhead just couldn't force herself to share her own secret with the newly labeled Mrs. Longbottom yet. Not before she told James. And so her and Alice had laughed with joy and cried with sorrow when Lily had finally been informed. Alice thankfully had passed the afternoon educating Lily on everything an expectant mother would need. It was where she got the idea for the vitamins in the first place.

As was as she was examining some one-a-day options, Lily heard a noise. While completely absorbed in her quest, she had failed to notice that someone had entered the aisle with her. He cleared his throat as she turned to face him. His face was sallow and gaunt, as if he hadn't been getting enough to eat. The black hair that framed his face hung to his shoulders in a remarkably straight line. If you hadn't known, the overcoat and black pants that he wore would've allowed him to walk straight down a street of muggles without attracting attention. It was the kind of outfit that only someone who had witnessed the muggle world could put together.

"Lily."

His voice was as dark and rich as it always had been. Her name seemed too familiar coming out of the mouth of what was now a stranger.

"Severus." Instinctually, the hand that wasn't holding vitamins went to her stomach. "What are you doing here?"

He cleared his throat. "Dark Lord's orders."

"What does your master want with us?" Lily suddenly hissed, shaking off her initial shock and placing the cart in front of her defensively. "Have we not given him answer enough that we are not interested?"

Snape's eyes darkened and Lily realized too late she had spoken in the plural out of habit. But what did she care? He deserved it.

"It was not my choice to plead with you once more," Snape said stiffly. "I was personally selected for this job. My knowledge of the muggle world and my ability to blend—."

"They thought I would have a soft spot for you," Lily cut him off with narrow eyes. "I thought You-Know-Who would at least be smart enough to realize whatever friendship we had is long gone."

Snape closed his eyes momentarily at her words and took what Lily thought to be a long breath.

"I do not come on a personal business," Snape started again, his eyes glittering dangerously. "I come on behalf of the Dark—."

"Well, you can tell him no," Lily snapped. "Once again and for the rest of my life. No."

"Lily—." Snape stopped himself, as if her name was too painful to say.

"What, Severus?" Lily asked darkly. "What could you possibly have to say to me?"

Snape shifted nervously in his polished shoes. He had never had polished shoes before, Lily thought. His clothes were always rather ragged and second-hand. It made her head spin to think about where he had gotten the money to pay for them.

"I beg you to reconsider," Snape began slowly. "This is his last hand of friendship that will be extended to you and-and…Potter." He paused, and Lily could see he had done his hardest not to spit out James's name. "The Dark Lord is growing more and more powerful each day. If you stand in his way, he will not hesitate to kill you."

"So be it," Lily said angrily.

Snape's face fell. "Lily, please—." But his words of protest died as his eyes fell upon the bottle still clutched tightly in her hands.

Trailing his gaze, Lily desperately tried to push it down and out of sight but it was too late. Severus Snape's face had already drained of whatever color it had managed to retain. Biting her lip, Lily hurriedly shoved the vitamins back onto the shelf marked "PRENATAL."

There was a silence between them for a moment. A deep, resonating silence in which two old friends looked at each other like strangers. At the end of the aisle, an older woman wandered down to look at the oatmeal displayed on the opposite side. Hands trembling, Snape quickly removed his wand from his coat and flicked it at the woman. As if he was guiding her, she quickly stood and tottered away from the aisle. Lily's insides went cold. The only spell that could control another's mind was the Imperius Curse. Snape had just done illegal magic. It was one thing to hear of dark deeds but another to see them.

As Lily worked to wipe the stunned look from her face, Snape turned his attention back to her and the "PRENATAL" shelf. He shook his head, lips trembling.

"You're not—," Snape spluttered slowly, eyes dropping to her middle. "Please tell me you're not."

Lily flushed. "Keep your voice down, I haven't told anyone yet."

The two fell back into silence, Lily with her face as red as her hair and Snape looking as though someone had told him Christmas was cancelled. She desperately wished Sirius would reappear and save her from this conversation. Weren't men supposed to pee quickly? But then again, Sirius was not the usual man. He liked to take his time in all things, including pissing Lily supposed.

"How far along?" Snape managed to ask faintly.

Lily's hand went to her middle. "Two months."

He took a step back, his face a mixture of horror and disgust. "I read of the engagement in the _Prophet. _I thought for sure it was just a hoax, just a show of happy times from the Ministry. A cover. And then the wedding announcement came… I didn't realize—," he broke off, "I never thought—."

His mouth rearranged into a grim line. "I thought your dating Potter was a fad. I never would've believed you'd take it so seriously."

"What did you think? That I was dating him just to annoy you?" Lily asked, her eyebrows furrowed. "Don't bother to think so highly of yourself."

Snape looked hurt and it occurred to Lily with a rising heartbeat that maybe that's exactly what Snape had thought.

"And now you're carrying his child."

The venom in his voice was plain as his eyes fixed on her stomach.

"I can see you still haven't given up on an old school rivalry," Lily responded, crossing her arms uncomfortably.

"He tortured me, Lily. He made me the laughingstock of the school. I was humiliated time and again—."

"And so you became a Death Eater?" Lily cut him off with a shake of her head. "How many people have suffered because you, Severus? How many people have died at your hand? Have you tortured muggleborns like me? Wait—," she held up a hand painfully, "Don't tell me. I don't want to know."

"Don't talk to me as if you know anything about my life now," Snape hissed, anger growing in his voice. "You have no right! You turned your back on me. For-for _him._"

"Don't blame me for your choice, Severus," Lily said dangerously.

"What happened to us, Lily?" Snape murmured, breathing heavily. "Where did our friendship go?"

Lily just shook her head as he looked at her imploringly, black eyes boring into hers.

"Why did we have to lose each other?"

"It was a long time ago—," Lily started.

"But not too late," Snape suddenly said urgently, moving forward to the end of her shopping cart. "The Dark Lord is willing to offer you and…Potter… amnesty. He knows how powerful you two are. Your talents are legend. Come with me and all your fears can be over. Don't you want your child to be safe?"

Lily squirmed uncomfortably as Snape continued.

"We can go back to being the way we were! Back in the summers, laying in the fields, playing in your backyard."

He looked so eager that for a moment, Lily's heart clenched at the sight of him. The picture he painted was so happy. So…unrealistic.

"Those kids that we were…" Lily said painfully. "That's not us anymore. We've grown up."

"But we don't have to—," Snape started.

"Sev," Lily said beseechingly. "You and I both know that we no longer stand on the same side. I could never desert the people who are doing the right thing: fighting against You-Know-Who."

Snape just shook his head.

"Instead of trying to convince me to join you," Lily said softly, "How about you join me instead? Fight for Dumbledore. Fight against this murder and discrimination. You're a powerful and talented wizard, always have been. Think of how much _good _you could do."

Snape trembled as he spoke. "I—cant. Lily, you don't understand the Dark Lord and the way he works. I would never escape—."

"We would help you!" Lily exclaimed, moving closer to him. "Cant you just try?"

"And what?" Snape burst. "Sit around and watch as you play house with Potter? Watch as your stomach grows larger and witness the birth of just another Quidditch playing, good-for-nothing troublemaker? Have to see how Lupin confides in you as I used to do? Witness Black traipse around you as if he was your best friend? No one would trust me, no one would want me there. I don't think so."

"As if switching to You-Know-Who's side would be any better for me," Lily said.

"I could never forgive them for the things they did," Snape finished in a low snarl.

"Forgiveness is a beautiful and terrible thing," Lily sighed, looking her old friend straight in the eye. "It is a painful and difficult journey but in the end, you realize it is the only way."

"He doesn't deserve my forg—."

"Oh don't talk to me about why James does or does not deserve your forgiveness!" Lily snapped, her face flushing rosy pink. "You have no idea how long it took me to forgive you for what happened to my parents! Don't think I don't know that you—." Her voice broke as Lily covered her mouth and pushed the tears back in her eyes. "My parents died because of you, Severus. Kind, trusting people who always saw the best in you. They died at your hand." She shook her head bitterly. "They never saw my wedding. Nor will they meet their grandchild." Lily placed a hand on her stomach tenderly. "James was there for me when you weren't. He comforted me from the pain _you_ caused." Her finger jutted out accusingly at Snape.

"Lily," Snape gaped, his face an ugly red color. "I swear I didn't know. I wouldn't have told them if I had known!"

"How could you possibly have not known?" Lily muttered, her nose crinkled in disgust.

"They asked me where I grew up," Snape told her desperately. "Everyone that came from Hogwarts knew you and I lived close to each other as children. They asked me about you but I refused to tell them! I was almost killed."

Lily shrank away, unbelieving.

"Lily, you have to listen to me," Snape begged, "I showed the Dark Lord my childhood memories. He wanted to find you and James. He wanted you on his side and he was going to use any means of persuasion to get there."

"So he killed my parents?" Lily choked back mocking laughter.

"He was looking for something to use!" Snape insisted. "Your address… It was on your house in so many memories. We passed the street sign. Please, Lily, I didn't mean for them to get hurt. I never meant to give your parents away."

"I wanted to kill you," Lily said bitterly, averting her eyes from Snape's desperate expression. "I wanted you dead."

"So why didn't you?" Snape asked softly.

"James," Lily said simply, looking at Snape with disappointment. "He talked me out of it so many times."

Snape screwed up his face in annoyance. "Lucky me."

"I have forgiven you for what you did," Lily told him fiercely. "But it wasn't easy. And you have James to thank for your sorry ass. The least you could do is forgive him too. We were all young and stupid."

The two stood breathing heavily in the oddly ordinary grocery aisle. It seemed so strange that they would meet here out of all places. A place that was so…normal…when their lives were anything but.

"Potter never deserved you," Snape declared, almost to himself. "He already had everything he could desire. He could've had any other girl. Why couldn't I at least have gotten you, Lily?"

"I'm not a possession!" Lily snapped back. "I was never something to be won!"

"I never said—."

"It was not up to you or to James to decide who I would love, though Merlin knows you both tried. I make my own decisions. And I chose James." Her green eyes blazed. "I choose goodness and bravery. I chose fighting for what was right and a loyalty to your friends that you stopped showing me, Severus. So what if all those things came with some ego and a penchant for ruffled hair? When you truly love someone," she looked at Snape fiercely, "All those things don't matter anymore."

"You were my best friend, Lily. You were good and kind, one of the best people Hogwarts ever got the privilege to teach. How did you end up with that arrogant sod?"

"When you started treating me as if I was the exception to most muggleborns."

"What?" Snape spluttered. "What do you mean?"

"You did it just moments ago. You told me that I was one of the best Hogwarts has seen. But you seem to forget that I was muggleborn. That the good and kind witch you recall had parents that you now consider below you." Lily shook her head. "When you started treating me as if I was the exception and not the rule with muggleborns, _that _was when you lost me."

"And so Potter's way was so much better?" Snape spat bitterly. "Treating you just like everyone else? Never giving you the respect or the kindness you so often showed others, even his own friends."

Lily rolled her eyes, exasperated. It was fruitless to argue.

"He's changed," she told him truthfully. "In a way. In some ways, he's just the same. But you view him with rose-colored glasses, Severus. Or perhaps…" Lily trailed off for a pregnant pause. "Through glasses green with envy."

Snape glared. "Don't you dare. Potter was nothing but an arrogant fool. Always will be."

Lily sighed.

"You don't know James, Severus."

"Do you?"

The question ignited a fire that had been sparking in Lily's heart since she had first turned her gaze on Severus Snape that morning.

"I love him more than anything," Lily declared, her voice growing with every word. "So stop trying to persuade me that he is a man with two faces. That man is _you. _You are the one whose loyalties were never decided! Always playing the field evenly, never showing too much open support for either."

Lily looked at him disgustedly. "And let me tell you something about James, just to clear the air one final time. I would die for him, Severus, and he would for me. _James, _and not you, has shown me what true loyalty and bravery mean. He had stood up for me, laughed with me, slept beside me in my own bed." Her voice shook with emotion. "I wear his ring on my finger, I have taken his last name, and his child now grows inside me. And nothing else, _nothing else,_ could ever make me happier."

Snape's gaunt eyes seemed to glitter more than usual as a glassy coating appeared on Lily's eyes. It was indeed, the final end to her oldest friendship. Snape had been many of her firsts. The first wizard that she met, the first friend she truly made, the first person who understood her in a way that Petunia and even James when they were younger, never could. Maybe it was only appropriate that he was also the first person she told she was pregnant. But despite all the things he had claimed first place on in her life, he had lost out on what was the most important of all. Being the first love of her life.

"There you are!" The buoyant and rather loud voice of Sirius Black boomed behind her. "Sorry I got caught up with some worker. I was looking for you everywhere! Thought James would behead me if…"

He drew up alongside her. For a moment, Sirius only stared at Snape, mesmerized, as if he were the ghost of a long-lost relative finally reappearing. But just as Lily opened her mouth to speak, the two enemies whipped out their wands.

"Lily, get behind me," Sirius pushed her behind him.

"Sirius, wait—," Lily tried to resist, but the Quidditch Beater swiped away her weak attempts at pulling him away.

"We meet again," Snape uttered, drawing each word out with a cruel smirk.

"Leave him alone!" Lily insisted.

"I've missed you, Snivellus," Sirius sneered. "I do see you still haven't washed your hair since we last met."

"Cant touch me now, Black," Snape spat. "The Dark Lord's already helped your traitor of a brother into the grave. I would bet he'd be glad to continue the family tradition."

Sirius roared and raised his wand. A flash of light exploded upwards as Lily jumped onto Sirius, knocking his spell out of the way. Flailing, Sirius turned, causing Lily to crash down painfully on the floor as Snape began to laugh. "She still defends me against you, I see," he sneered.

"Don't count on it," Lily spat, clutching her stomach and staring at Snape with slits for eyes.

His face fell as a manager of the store came whirling around the corner. Quickly, Lily knocked a few boxes off the shelf she was leaning against. "What is going on?" the poor muggle man spluttered as Snape and Sirius both hurriedly pocketed their wands.

"I tripped," Lily volunteered quickly from the floor. Sirius was still glaring daggers at Snape. "I'm afraid I crashed into these boxes."

The expression on the manager's face turned from anger to concern. "Are you alright, dear?"

"I'm fine," Lily grimaced painfully, still clutching her stomach. "I'll pick them up. We're fine."

Nodding slowly, the man's eyes traveled suspiciously to Sirius, whose lurid green robe seemed even more amiss than before among the vitamins and oatmeal boxes.

"Carry on, my good man," Sirius grinned charmingly. "My girlfriend here is very clumsy."

"Of course," the manager nodded, unconvinced. "Of course. Well, then I will leave you to it. Check out is in front when you need it."

The three former classmates remained where they were for a moment, breathing heavily as the man slowly walked down the aisle and turned the corner.

"Well," Snape said coldly as he pulled his coat closer around his thin figure. "You've made your answer clear, _Mrs. Potter_." Lily flinched as he practically spat out her name. "But you've been warned. The Dark Lord will show you no more mercy."

Lily only glared as he swept from the aisle. He didn't look back. It was the last time she would ever see Severus Snape.

"Lily, are you alright?" Sirius asked, crouching down next to her with concern. "You fell pretty hard."

"I think I'm okay," Lily said hesitantly. She refused to lift her hand from her stomach. "I'm just worried about being gentle because of the—."

Hurriedly she dropped off. Lily hoped Sirius hadn't noticed but as he stared at her curiously, she knew that he had.

"What were you doing over here anyways?" Sirius asked, his eyebrows drawing together as he helped her up. "What could you possibly need from…"

He glanced over to the shelf opposite them and then back at her. Lily saw as his intelligent eyes skimmed over "PRENATAL" just as Snape had minutes earlier. Once more, he looked at the shelf of vitamins and then back at Lily. His eyes zeroed in on the hand protectively clutching her stomach.

"Lily Flower," Sirius said very calmly. "Is there anything you want to tell me?"

Lily opened and closed her mouth, as if trying to speak but failing. Her tongue felt twice the normal size and all the moisture seemed to have vanished from her mouth. Clearing her through with a cough, Lily's fingernails went to her mouth. "Er…Sirius. I, well— I may have had more than one reason for wanting you to come along today."

She faltered as Sirius only stared at her stoically. "I—er. You see, I'm— well, er—."

As she once more trailed off, Sirius gave her a soft smile and said, "Lily dearest, I'm not going to bite. At least not in this form."

He coaxed a soft smile from her and Lily found her tongue loosening. Sirius nodded encouragingly, tucking a stand of hair behind her ear as if she were a young child. She had never seen him so mature.

"Sirius. I'm pregnant."

"You're what?"

"I'm pregnant," Lily repeated, leaning back against the wall. "I'm two months along."

Sirius looked stunned. "Two months…?"

"I know, I know," Lily bit her lip. "Don't hate me for not telling anyone sooner."

"Hate you…?" Sirius looked dazed. And then suddenly—

"I'M GOING TO BE A GODFATHER!"

Lily could only stare in shock as Sirius began to whoop in delight.

"Oh Lily dearest, please say I can be the godfather. Please?"

"Of course," Lily stammered.

He crowed with delight and picked her off the ground in his arms. "Our Lily! Our beautiful, wondrous, intelligent Lily Potter. Pregnant!" He twirled her midair amid shouts of laughter. "Watch out world! We're going to have another little Potter running about! I bet he's a Quidditch star, just like his father. And he'll be just as smart as his mum!"

He set her down and kissed Lily hard on the forehead.

"Who says it'll be a boy?" Lily managed to say.

"Or a girl," Sirius added with a dismissive shrug. He turned to the aisle of vitamins. "So this is why we came! Pregnant food cravings and-what is this? Prenatal? What does that even mean?" Sirius shrugged. "Ah well. You'll need all of it, just to make sure."

And he dumped the contents of the whole shelf into the cart.

That finally jumped Lily out of the stunned reverie she had found herself in at his outburst.

"You mean you're…happy?" Lily asked tentatively.

Sirius whipped around, his face beaming. "Happy? Lily, I'm overjoyed."

"Really?" She began to allow herself a soft smile.

"Why wouldn't I be?" For the second time in the last few minutes, Sirius looked so much older than he actually was. He regarded his best friend's wife with the fondest smile a nineteen-year-old could muster.

"I thought maybe, I don't know…" Lily trailed off nervously. "I guess I was worried that in a time like this, a baby was the last thing we needed to worry about."

"Lily," Sirius smiled tenderly, putting an arm around her shoulders. "A baby is the perfect symbol of hope that we so desperately need right now. Your little Potter is the best thing that could happen to us all."

Lily finally allowed herself a grin as Sirius laid a gentle hand on her stomach.

"I'm guessing Prongs doesn't know?"

Lily shook her head. "I was too afraid. I figured telling you was the next best thing to telling James. I just assumed your reaction would be almost the same to his and I would know what to expect."

"Oh Flower," Sirius said with a grin. "If you think I'm excited, just wait until you tell James." He placed both hands on her shoulders and faced her towards him. "You will make him the happiest man on earth."

"Thanks Sirius," Lily said thickly as water once more began to pool in her eyes. Man, these pregnancy mood swings were already becoming apparent. Sirius pulled her in deeply for a hug and Lily cherished the warmth of his embrace. Even if it was a green velvety one.

"So what do you need for this baby?" Sirius said, becoming almost business-like as they drew apart. "We've already got you all the vitamins."

"Sirius, I do not need the whole shelf-full," Lily laughed as she viewed their cart. "I just want to try a few."

Sirius looked downtrodden. "But what if—."

"No buts," Lily told him with a grin as she began to unload the vitamin bottles.

It only took a quarter of an hour to unload the vitamins and check out up front. Sirius attempted to pay in galleons, which only caused more stares, and Lily had to quickly shove more than enough muggle pounds into the irritated manager's hands in order to keep some sense of normality. It was a miracle they made out it without a call to the police.

But nothing could ruin Lily's mood now. For however nauseous the thought of telling James about the baby or caring for a child made her, Lily was no longer alone. While she may not have Severus Snape to comfort her any more, she had made new friends. Slipping her hand into the one Sirius wasn't using to hold the bags, she grinned.

"Thank you," she said sincerely. "I couldn't do this without you."

"Trust me," he smiled. "Compared with James's pining over you for seven years, this pregnancy will be as easy as finding a reason to put a Slytherin in detention."

And just like that, Lily laughed. A true laugh. The first one she'd had in months. And suddenly she knew that everything was going to be just fine.

"Let's get you home, Evans," Sirius pointed towards the rows of cottages emerging into view. "And make James Potter a very happy man."

* * *

><p>"Lily, Sirius, is that you?"<p>

"We're home," Lily called as her and their shaggy haired friend pushed through their front door.

James appeared around the corner, his hair cut shorter than he'd had it during their school days, but by no means any less untamable. Lily grinned and pointed at a particularly stubborn piece in the back that James promptly tried to flatten. He failed as Sirius kicked off his shoes, missed the rug and sent snow flying all over the wooden floor.

"Really?" James asked his friend exasperated.

"I'll clean it up," Sirius sighed, though he couldn't help but wink and clap James on the back as he passed.

It left Lily alone with James.

Her heart quickened.

"How was the store?" he asked innocently, reaching to take the grocery bag from her.

She held onto them with a steel grip. "Good," she stammered. Sirius had taken the ones that held muggle food to the kitchen while Lily had carried the vitamin one herself.

Shooting her a quizzical look, James let go of the bag and let Lily follow him into the kitchen.

"Sirius tried to pay in galleons," Lily offered in an attempt to distract him. It worked.

"He what?" James chuckled. He raised his voice towards the direction Sirius had wandered off towards. "Is that true, Padfoot?"

Sirius padded back into the kitchen at the sound of his name. Slightly disgruntled, Lily recognized him to be holding one of the bags of chips she had bought for herself. "Is what true?" he asked, popping one in his mouth. "The fact that Lily's—."

"SIRIUS!"

Sirius stopped mid-chew as Lily's hand hit the counter with a threatening glare. James only stared with wide-eyed surprise.

"Not. Yet.," she said through gritted teeth.

Sirius gulped, looking apologetic.

"What's going on?" James asked confused as he looked between his wife and his best friend. "You both know I'm not an idiot so you might as well spit it out."

Lily glared at Sirius, who looked suddenly bashful. She was suddenly regretting all the mental praise she had given him about his new maturity. Sometimes, men will still be boys. James scowled as the silence grew.

"What is it?" he asked irritably. "What can you two know that I don't?"

Sirius looked at Lily with a shrug that seemed to say, "Go for it." Lily felt the instinctual rising heartbeat of the thought of baby talk with James.

Clearing her throat, she said, "James, do you want to maybe come to the sitting room with me?"

Still looking suspicious, her husband nodded cautiously. Lily watched him keep his gaze on Sirius, whom attempted a half-hearted smile, as he exited the kitchen. This was going to be interesting.

"Good luck, Flower," Sirius whispered encouragingly as she followed him out. Lily gulped.

She had imagined this scenario many times. Sometimes they were in the kitchen making breakfast. Sometimes outside in the garden. Or just going to bed at night. Lily had always been able to picture the time and place but once she got to the actual confession, the daydream seemed to dissolve in front of her. But this was no daydream. This was reality. She took a deep breath.

"James, I need to tell you something," Lily said as she entered the room. He looked up at her cautiously. "I haven't been entirely…truthful with you for the last month in a half."

James just stared at her very seriously, his eyes worried behind shining glass lenses.

She bit her lip nervously. "I just hope you understand and aren't angry."

"Lily," he said apprehensively, "Please don't tell me you had sex with Sirius."

She laughed, feeling the ball of tension in her stomach loosen slightly as her husband gazed at her, half-joking, half-serious. "No," Lily told him with a firm shake of her head. "A million times no. Not in a thousand years."

"You don't need to lay it on so thick!" The muffled voice of Sirius echoed from the kitchen.

Lily quickly crossed the room and shut the door, blocking the former Beater's hearing.

"So what is it then?" James asked tensely, leaning against their fireplace. Lily allowed herself a glance at the pictures that lined the mantelpiece as she walked towards him slowly.

There was one of them with their Head Boy and Head Girl badges from Seventh Year. James was smiling brightly and made continued attempts to kiss Lily on the cheek. He was stopped by Lily's younger self, who pushed him off with a fond smile. Next was one that Lily knew James favorited. It was him, Sirius, and Lily on their wedding day, grinning blissfully as if nothing could make any of them happier. The third and final picture had been from the day they got engaged. James had called their friends to celebrate the minute the future Mrs. Potter had entered the door of her new home. The party that night had been one of the last times Lily saw all of her friends in one place. James had insisted on reenacting the proposal to everyone's delight and Lily, forced to go along with her fiancées theatrics, was submitted to a picture of them at the doorway with James down on his knee, a silly grin upon her face.

"I remember that day well," Lily smiled as she leaned opposite James on the mantel. His gaze drifted over to the engagement picture where the younger version of himself repeatedly mimed giving Lily the ring and then bowed to an invisible crowd.

"I do too," he said with a faint grin. "I don't think I ever knew a time my heart beat so fast."

Lily forced herself to swallow as the beat of her own heart suddenly seemed amplified. "James," she began anxiously. "Do you remember what you said to me after you proposed? About moving into the house and getting married?"

James looked thoughtful for a moment, his hand reaching back to mess up his black hair. Lily's heart swelled at the small gesture. This was James. The James she'd loved her whole life. She could do this.

"I said you weren't alone," James said slowly. "That you weren't without family."

"Because—?" Lily prompted him, a hand habitually going to her stomach.

James shrugged casually. "Because we would start one together."

"Exactly," Lily breathed, forcing herself to smile. She took a step closer to him, watching, as his eyes grew concerned.

"You can tell me anything, Lily," he told her softly. Tenderly, he pushed a strand of red hair behind her ear.

"I know," Lily said, biting her lip. "And that's why I'm sorry I haven't told you this sooner."

James only looked at her quizzically, waiting patiently for her to continue.

Lily took a deep breath.

"James, that day we talked about starting a family. We talked about not being alone. That together we could start something new. Well," Lily grinned nervously. "I guess we should've seen this coming then."

Putting a hand on each of his shoulders as Sirius had done for her in the grocery store, Lily bit her lip with a smile.

"James, I'm pregnant."

His face fell open with shock. "You're—you're—."

His mouth opened and closed uselessly as he stared at her, stunned. Hesitantly, she nodded, watching as he covered his face with his hands and blew out a deep breath.

"I'm only two months along," she said, "But I thought it's been long enough for you to be kept in the dark. I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner. I was just afraid—."

But she never did finish what she was going to say. For James's arms had closed around her middle as he swept her into a tight embrace. "You're pregnant," his breath came softly into her ear. "Oh Lily, I'm going to be a father." His fingers trembled as they cupped her face, kissing her gently on the forehead.

She nodded weakly.

"I'm going to be a father," he repeated, astonished.

"Are you happy?" Lily asked nervously.

"Am I—happy?" James's face split into the most radiant smile. "Lily, nothing in my lifetime could make me happier."

James began to laugh, swinging her about the room as water gathered in Lily's eyes. She sniffled thickly, laughing through her tears.

"You hear that!" He punched his fist in the air in triumph. "I'm going to be a father! James Potter is going to be a dad!"

He dropped to his knees so that his head was level with Lily's stomach. "Do you know if it's a boy or girl?"

"I think it's to early to tell," Lily smiled, biting her lip.

He raised the front of her shirt so that her still-flattened belly was exposed. "Hello there," he grinned at her stomach, touching it gently with his hand and then pausing, as if expecting the baby to respond.

"Its probably just a small little blob right now," Lily told him.

James looked up, eyes shining. "Our kid is in there."

She touched his head gently and fondly trailed her fingers in the jet-black hair she loved so much. "I know."

"We're going to take good care of you someday," James said, unable to keep the smile off his face as he brushed her stomach. "We're going to be the best parents you could wish for." Leaning in, he kissed the skin softly and smiled up at Lily.

"We're going to be parents," he told her.

Lily nodded. "This poor child," she laughed, wiping the tears starting to stream down her face. Why did pregnancies have to come with so many emotions?

James stood and pulled her close. "We're going to be a family now," he told her gently, touching his forehead to hers. "We're going to be the Potters. And for all time, people will remember us for how awesome of parents we were."

Lily shook her head, amused. "Oh James, lets just hope our future child doesn't inherit your ego."

"I thought you liked my ego," James exclaimed with a grin. "You said it gave me personality."

"Of course I should've known that would go to your head," she laughed.

Suddenly, Sirius burst into the room, crumpled chip bag in hand, staring intently at the tender scene between husband and wife.

"So it went well?"

"Padfoot!" James exclaimed. He pulled his best friend into a tight hug, nearly bowling him backwards into the kitchen. "Can you believe it? I'm going to be a father!"

"I know!" Sirius said, throwing back his head with a laugh. "I know, Prongs."

"Merlin, Lily, was I really the last to know?" James asked incredulously, turning back to look at his now blushing wife.

"Well, I er, I found out by accident," Sirius said gruffly. "Lily tried to sneak some prenatal vitamins into the cart-those have to do with babies, you know- and I- er, I forced the truth out."

Lily breathed a sigh as Sirius only winked at her. She really did owe him.

"Call Moony, and Wormtail," James declared. "Get everyone over that we can. We're going to celebrate!"

"Its New Years Eve, James," Lily laughed, joining her husband at the door. "Everyone will have plans already."

"Then just the three of us!" he declared, his glasses sliding down his nose in excitement. "We just got new groceries, I'm sure I have some old firewhisky bottles in the cellar. We'll celebrate just here in the living room."

"But no firewhiskey for me," Lily reminded him.

James smiled at her fondly. "Definitely not." She grinned.

"Never before have I seen two people more excited about the prospect of giving up alcohol," Sirius laughed. "But cheers! The more for me the better!"

And so as the sky outside darkened, the three friends sat around a roaring fire and leftover Christmas tree and shared the last of their happy days. They munched on pickles and frosting and told stories of love and heartbreak from the world outside. But from inside their little haven of warmth, it seemed as though nothing, not even Lord Voldemort, could reach them. It was nights like these that reminded Lily there really was nothing so important as love.

"To a New Year," Sirius raised his glass, his words slightly slurring. "And to James and Lily's most likely ginger baby!"

"To our future ginger child," James raised his glass. "And to the Potters."

"To the Potters," Lily and Sirius agreed with a laugh. Lily brushed her stomach with her free arm as their glasses clinked.

"Isn't is about time?" Lily asked as she took a deep sip.

James screwed up his face and peered at the grandfather clock that stood in the corner. "Get ready," he said slowly, biting his tongue in concentration. "And… Ten."

1980 was only nine more seconds away, Lily thought, curling up next to James. What could the new year bring?

"Nine," Sirius crowed happily.

Would it bring only more terror and fear? Or perhaps, just perhaps, a glint of hope? A chance that Voldemort might be brought down before the year was out.

"Eight," Lily added.

Everything had changed since last January. Her life had been turned inside out and upside down. But, Lily reminded herself as James slipped an arm around her, that wasn't such a bad thing.

"Seven," he said, kissing her on the nose.

In fact, it was a really great thing.

"Six," Sirius declared in a deep voice.

She didn't ask much of the new year. In fact, Lily only wished for what she had always wanted.

"Five," James nodded.

Friendship.

"Four," Sirius grinned.

Trust.

"Three," Lily said solemnly.

Love.

"Two."

In the split second that hung in the air, the three old friends looked at each other and smiled. Their glances were filled with a determination to survive and a hope for a better tomorrow. They were looks bursting with a love for one another that could not be bought or forced. A love that would keep them fighting through the darkest of times. A love that would remain above all else once they were dead and gone. They were the last glances of 1979, making the final thing Lily, James, and Sirius saw before the clock hit midnight was each other. And none of them would have had it any other way.

The year that was coming would bring death and destruction knocking on all of their doorsteps. It would bring the ultimate betrayal of Severus Snape and the last time James and Lily would ever see Sirius in person. It would bring a new life into the world, while so many others were being extinguished. 1980 would be the start and the end. For as Lily and James's legend would begin to fade, Harry Potter's would burst anew. A new story would open at the close. And the struggle born of this year would not end until all of Hogwarts's mischievous Marauders were dead, fighting to save the child that now grew in Lily's stomach.

But none of that mattered now. For in this one moment as the three friends smiled at one another, there was nothing so pure or so innocent as the love on their faces. And that was one thing Lord Voldemort could never touch.

"One."

**THANKS FOR READING. ITS NOT YET COMPLETE SO SUSCRIBE AND REVIEW!**


	11. James Protected Lily

**STORY NOT COMPLETE. **

**THE INSPIRATION FOR THIS CHAPTER CAME FROM THE IDEA THAT JAMES AND LILY COULDN'T ALWAYS HAVE SWEET MOMENTS. I WANTED TO SHOWCASE THE DEPTH OF THEIR RIVALRY AND JUST HOW STUBBORN THEY COULD BOTH BE. SO I PICKED A SCENARIO WHERE LILY WOULDN'T MAYBE EVER FIND OUT WHAT JAMES DID FOR HER IN ORDER TO PLAY WITH THEIR LESS FRIENDLY INTERACTIONS. IT WAS A LITTLE HARDER TO WRITE THIS CHAPTER BUT HOPEFULLY IT PAYS OFF AND I'M NOT AVERSE TO DOING SOME REWRITES ON IT SO LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU LIKED AND DIDN'T LIKE! I LIKE HOW THIS SHOWS MORE THE FRIENDSHIPS ON THE MARAUDERS AND A TYPICAL DAY AT HOGWARTS BETWEEN THE FOUR FRIENDS AND LILY EVANS. **

"_You could at least hear me out before you hex me," James said calmly, backing up against the wall._

"_And what makes you think you deserve that?" Lily glared._

_Well, lets see," James ticked off on his fingers as he spoke, "I helped you find friends last year, I let you cheat off my homework that one time yours was dropped in the toilet, I made you a potion for your acne to go away—"_

_Lily only rolled her eyes. "I only needed help with friends because you made me an outcast. I only needed to cheat off your essay because you threw it in the girl's bathroom. And you, James Potter, were the one that fed me the acne potion to be funny so I wouldn't have needed the antidote if you hadn't been such a jerk in the first place!"_

**THE FIRST TIME…James Protected Lily**

"Jaime Wylls? _Jaime Wylls_? Really, Evans?"

"Yes, Potter, really," Lily snapped.

"But—," James spluttered. "You cant! He's such a douchebag. Everyone knows that!"

It was a Friday afternoon in Lily and James's Fourth Year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The corridors were bustling, students were laughing, and the euphoria the weekend always brought was apparent as swarms of Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs, Slytherins, and Ravenclaws pushed their way through the crowds. But James Potter was anything but excited for this weekend. In fact, he was downright dreading it.

"You're just jealous," Alice said with a grin, putting an arm around her friend's shoulders. She turned back to Marlene. "Can you believe our Lily just landed a date with a Sixth Year who's also a prefect?"

"And top of his class," Marlene pointed out. "So, what are you going to do, Lily? Something amazing, I hope. I mean, its _Jaime Wylls_! Half of the girls in this school want to be with him."

Lily flushed with pleasure, smiling from ear to ear. "Well, its nothing big. Just a study date. We're going to go to the library tomorrow afternoon and skip dinner together. He said he would find a way to smuggle some food in past Madam Pince. Then he said maybe we would go to the Astronomy tower at night to go stargazing."

"I'm so jealous," Marlene sighed.

James snorted, still trailing behind them. "The library? What kind of date is that?"

"Potter, will you please go away?" Lily scowled, looking over her shoulder. "Who I date is none of your business."

"Er, yes it is," James told her as Lily rolled her eyes. "I just want to know why Jaime only has to ask you out once and you're swooning all over him whereas I'm on a running streak of rejection over here?"

"It's because unlike you, Potter, Jaime is kind and compassionate," Lily told him haughtily. "He appreciates me."

"I appreciate you!" James exclaimed.

"Give it up," Lily whirled around to face him. "I'm not going out with you and I never will! Just admit you lost to a better man."

"He's not a better man!" James yelled to her as the crowds swallowed her and the other two Gryffindors up. He sighed. Stupid Lily Evans. How could she fall for a guy like Jaime Wylls? Sure he was handsome and funny and, like Alice had pointed out, half the girls in this school did want to go out with him, but he was a terrible Keeper for Ravenclaw and barely passed his Transfiguration O.W.L. last year. James strongly suspected he cheated.

It wasn't until a Hufflepuff Fifth Year ran straight into him that James realized he'd been holding up traffic for a solid thirty seconds.

"Sorry, er sorry," James said, darting through the crowds. "Excuse me, sorry."

He turned a corner towards the heart of the school where, thankfully, the crowds had thinned. James supposed the beautiful autumn day outside had caught the attention of most students, leaving the castle free to roam uninterrupted.

"Oi, Prongs!"

Or not.

"Where did you get off to?" Sirius, Remus, and Peter all emerged from down the hall. "The minute Charms let out you were off!"

"I had to talk to Lily," James mumbled as the others joined him.

"About Jaime?" Remus asked. He shook his head. "James, I'm sure nothing will come of it. That boy has to have dated most of the girls in the school by now. It never lasts."

"But what if this is different?" James exclaimed as they headed towards the Gryffindor Common Room. "What if this time, there's a second date and then a third? What if they stay together forever?"

Remus rolled his eyes.

"Lily did seem pretty excited," Peter offered innocently, earning a shove and a glare from Sirius.

"But er-not that excited," he tried to correct.

"What am I going to do?" James put his head in his hands. "This is terrible."

"James, maybe there's nothing you _can _do," Lupin said gently.

"Optus Domini," Sirius muttered as they reached the Fat Lady. She swung open.

"Maybe you have to let go of Lily," Remus continued as they stepped through the portrait hole. "Maybe…you have to move on."

"I don't want to move on," James said sulkily.

"Why don't you go ahead and date Marlene or something?" Sirius asked, as they settled into their normal spots by the fire. "It would sure as hell piss Lily off. Make her jealous."

"Marlene wouldn't fall for it," James chewed his lip. "She's too loyal to Lily."

"What about Emmeline or Mary then?" Peter asked. "They aren't as close with her."

Lupin rolled his eyes. "James, you're not going to charm Lily by dating one of the girls in her year. She'd see through it in an instant."

"So what do I do?" he asked miserably.

"Let her go," Remus shrugged. "If it's meant to be, she'll come back to you."

And just like that, his friends dropped the matter as if it'd been a pleasant discussion over the weather and turned to the chessboard Peter brought out.

"I'm sensing a rematch, old friend," Sirius crowed as Peter handed him the black pieces. "Get ready to be demolished."

* * *

><p>It seemed stupid that James couldn't drop it. In fact, it didn't <em>seem <em>stupid, it was stupid. But something about Jaime Wylls struck a chord with the Gryffindor Chaser. Tall, dark-haired and handsome, the girls at Hogwarts who weren't after James often found themselves swooning over the Ravenclaw's brawn and brains. Or at least James liked to _think_ he claimed some girls from Jaime. The good-looking Keeper was extremely intelligent, except in Transfiguration, and it earned him a spot in the Slug Club from the moment he walked into Hogwarts. When he wasn't working late in the library to ensure his spot as teacher's pet, Jaime could often be found surrounded at the Ravenclaw table by adoring girls. His jokes were legendary and if he was feeling generous, he'd deal out exam tips to the younger students. On the outside, he seemed the best student Hogwarts had ever been lucky enough to acquire. Girls worshipped him and guys wanted to be him, but something about the Sixth Year had always just seemed to give James the creeps. And no, he had told Sirius many times, it wasn't jealousy.

"You're becoming obsessed," Remus told him softly. It was dinner and James had spent most of it glaring over at the Ravenclaw table, stabbing his fork particularly violently into his chicken. "What's the big hang-up with this guy anyways?"

"Its hard to explain," he growled.

"Lily's dated other guys before," Sirius said, speaking through a mouth full of potato. "This isn't any different."

"I know, I know," James waved them off. "Its just something about him." An outburst of laughter echoed through the hall from the Ravenclaw table. Clearly, Jaime just said something very funny. James rolled his eyes.

"Who are you guys talking about?" Emmeline asked curiously. She had just plopped down on James's left as Mary MacDonald shoved her way in across from her.

"Jaime Wylls," Peter said with a sigh. "Again."

"Jaime Wylls?" Mary asked. "Why would you be talking about him of all people?"

"Clearly Lily Evans landed a hot date," Sirius said, waggling his eyebrows. Remus rolled his eyes.

"He asked her this morning, I guess," Remus told them.

"Did he really?" Emmeline's interest piqued as she loaded her plate with chicken and potato. She glanced at Mary, whose eyes had narrowed. "That's…interesting."

"Naturally, James is pretty pissed about it," Peter said.

"Am not," the Chaser in question retorted moodily, playing with his food.

"Well, just tell her to be careful," Mary said lightly. "I once got a date with Jaime Wylls and it did _not _go well."

Her words finally managed to draw James out of his self-induced pity party. So he wasn't alone in his skepticism of Jaime Wylls. Giving his friends a look that smugly said, "I told you so," he sat up straight and turned to Mary with interest.

"What happened?" Remus asked, as they all glanced over at Jaime. "He seems like a decent guy."

"Seems like it," Mary told them darkly.

"So what happened?" James asked, pushing his food away from him.

"Well," she sighed, "At the end of last year, I ran into him in Scrivenshafts during a Hogsmeade trip. I was alone, stocking up on quills for the end of year exams, and he came around the corner too fast and knocked everything out of my hands. He apologized and was very charming and soon enough we were giggling and chatting over butterbeers in the Three Broomsticks."

"So?" Sirius asked quizzically.

"So…" Mary continued. "It all went great until he asked me if I wanted to go for a walk by ourselves. I was pretty excited, only being a Third Year and all, and so I said yes. We headed towards the Shrieking Shack and soon, we were completely alone in the forest." She shuddered. "Next thing I know he's trying to kiss me and his hands are going all over the place. I kept trying to say no but he wasn't even listening. And trust me, he's_ strong._ Eventually I had to nearly hex his ears off to just get away."

She nodded matter-of-factly and turned back to butter her bread, seemingly unfazed by the shocked looks on the Marauders faces.

"Horrible, huh?" Emmeline said with a grimace.

"Did you tell anyone?" Lupin asked worriedly. "Surely you could've gotten him in trouble."

Mary shook her head. "I ran as fast as I could and never looked back. When I saw him at school the next day, he passed right by as if he didn't even know me. Emmeline's the only one I trusted to tell. I figured if I told anyone else, they wouldn't believe me. I mean, little old Mary the Third Year with all-star Fifth Year Jaime Wylls?" She snorted. "It even sounds crazy to me."

"I doubt she's the only one," Emmeline told them in a hushed voice. "Think about it. Jaime's never had a long time girlfriend. He only dates girls for a little while and then breaks up with them once he's used them."

"I knew I had a bad feeling about this," James muttered, glancing to where Lily sat at the end of the table. She was laughing with Alice and Frank. "I have to tell Lily. She has to know what she's getting herself into!"

Sirius snorted.

"You honestly think she's going to listen to you?"

"She might," James said defensively.

"Oh please, that girl's as stubborn as a hippogriff," Emmeline snorted. "And trying to make her listen to _you _of all people…" She trailed off into giggles that Mary quickly joined in on.

"I cant just sit here and watch it happen," James ignored the girls. "I've got to at least try."

"I don't know, James…" Remus said apprehensively.

"What?" James asked, annoyed.

"Its just that, you know…" Peter looked uneasy. "This is Jaime Wylls we're talking about. There's no way she'd think you were telling the truth."

"You don't think my word with Evans has more weight than his?" James asked incredulously.

Even Sirius looked uncomfortable now. "Its just that… you and Evans, well Prongs, you're not really on speaking terms. She's just going to think you're trying to ruin her date."

"Then I'll get Mary to talk to her," James said. Mary's head swiveled back their way at the sound of her name. "You'll talk to Lily, wont you? Tell her what happened with you?"

"No way," Mary said, shaking her head. "Emmeline and I aren't speaking to the other three since Marlene called me a bitch two weeks ago."

"Girls." Sirius rolled his eyes.

"Well then you've left me no choice," James exclaimed, standing from the table as Lily got up and left the hall. "I'm going to talk to her whether she wants to hear it or not."

* * *

><p>"Evans, please just give me a chance?"<p>

"Go away, Potter. You've already reached your quota for the day of pissing me off."

"I'm serious! Its about Jaime."

Lily spun. "Don't. Talk. To. Me. About. Jaime."

Her finger was in his face and they were standing in the middle of a deserted corridor on the Third Floor. She was being utterly ridiculous in James's opinion. This was the first time she'd even bothered to turn around since he'd called her name leaving the Great Hall. You think she'd be a little bit more appreciative that he was trying to save her life. Okay, maybe that was a little dramatic. But he _was_ trying to protect her from Jaime Wylls.

"You could at least hear me out before you hex me," James said calmly, backing up against the wall.

"And what makes you think you deserve that?" Lily glared.

Well, lets see," James ticked off on his fingers as he spoke, "I helped you find friends last year, I let you cheat off my homework that one time yours was dropped in the toilet, I made you a potion for your acne to go away—"

Lily only rolled her eyes. "I only needed help with friends because _you_ made me an outcast. I only needed to cheat off your essay because _you _threw it in the girl's bathroom. And _you_, James Potter, were the one that fed me the acne potion to be funny so I wouldn't have needed the antidote if you hadn't been such a jerk in the first place!"

She stormed away, leaving James to peel himself from the wall and go racing after her.

"Okay, so maybe that was kind of my fault…"

She glared.

"…Or all my fault." James ruffled his hair. "But can you just put that aside for the moment? I really need to talk to you."

"You are the last person who I want to talk to on my Friday night," Lily told him.

"Well you're not always a walk in the park either," James told her, frustrated. "In fact, you're a downright struggle."

"Fat words coming from you," she retorted with a sneer.

James nearly pulled his hair out. "Okay, that's not the point," he said through gritted teeth. "What I'm trying to tell you is—."

"You know what, Potter," Lily halted. "Save it. Just leave me alone and go along your merry way. I'm sorry if you still think you have a chance with me after the past four years because there is nothing, and I mean _nothing_, you could do to ever get me to go out with you."

And off she strode, disappearing from sight around a corner.

"Argh!" James exclaimed, slamming a door with his fist.

"You really should be more considerate," the door huffed.

Lily Evans was impossible to deal with, James grimaced as he headed back towards the Gryffindor Common Room. A real ordeal. She was single-handedly ruining his life. Never before had he met someone so utterly self-centered, egotistical, and temperamental. It wasn't a day at Hogwarts if she hadn't found something to scold him for by nine o'clock. If that girl ever became a Prefect, James knew she would have him in detention faster than he could say, "Good morning." He didn't know what her problem was, but he'd never met and probably never would meet again anyone that was exactly like her. What other girl was as vain and as sarcastic as the beautiful yet deadly Lily Evans? If that girl was out there, James sincerely hoped he could meet her. Then Lily wouldn't seem half as bad.

"I'm sorry if you think you still have a chance with me," James mocked bitterly in a girlish voice. "Oh James, what's that? Sorry I didn't listen to you when you were trying to _save my life_!"

He kicked a textbook that was lying in the corridor. It skidded across the stone with a satisfying hiss, bumping into the wall with a thud. Where was Snivellus when you needed him? James could go for a good hexing right now. It'd be just the thing to get back at Evans.

"I asked that Evans girl to study with me tomorrow."

"The one with the red hair?"

"That's the one."

"You're one lucky man, Wylls. I swear you get all the best girls in the school."

The voices came from around the corner and they were growing louder with each word. Within, the students they belonged to would be in sight. Scrambling, James spotted a suit of armor tucked into a window crevice that looked just big enough for him to squeeze into. James had always been rather skinny for his age and at times like these, he was never more thankful as he knew who those voices belonged to. Jaime and his idiotic friend, Anthony Dorkiss.

"She's rather young for you, isn't she?"

With a scowl, James shrank into the shadows as the two boys paused outside the small alcove.

"Please," he could hear Jaime snort. "The younger, the better. They're more likely to say yes when they're younger."

"But I thought she was smart?"

"Top of her class," Jaime mused. James could see him tousling his hair through a crack in the rusted armor. Douchebag.

"Think she'll give you any action?" Anthony asked. "If you asked me, she seems a little uptight."

"Only around that arrogant Potter," Jaime smirked. James glared, wishing the crack in the armor was just a bit bigger so that he could fit his wand through. Binding his legs together would be quite a treat to watch and the hop back to Ravenclaw Tower would be even more amusing.

"Either way, I'll win," Jaime continued with a sigh. "See this?"

James squinted to see a small clear vial of lavender potion in his hand.

"It's a sleeping draught. I'm going to slip it into her food. She wont even know what's happening."

James's stomach bottomed out as he heard Anthony laugh.

"You're a genius," Anthony exclaimed in a thick voice. "She'll never suspect."

"I just told Slughorn I wanted to work late," Jaime sounded very smug, "I said I wanted to whip this up for practice. He was even impressed."

Anthony sniggered. "I wish I were you Jaime."

"I know." Jaime sounded quite pleased. "One more day and that redhead will be all mine." James heard the sound of a high-five. "By the way, did you get the notes in Transfiguration today? I wasn't paying attention."

The two Sixth Years moved down the hall and out of sight, leaving Gryffindor's star chaser with anger pounding in his ears, his whole body shaking with rage. Who did Jaime Wylls think he was? Who did he think he was messing with? Lily Evans was the last girl in Hogwarts to pick on, the very last. And it wasn't because of her temper was as fiery as her hair, or even that she knew every spell in the book. It was because she had allies, powerful allies. Even if she didn't want them.

* * *

><p>James had barely stopped to take a breath on his run back to Gryffindor Tower. Taking every shortcut he knew, he had burst in front of the Fat Lady and shouted the password in such a way that she decided to tell him off for a full minute before Frank Longbottom came to his rescue.<p>

The minutes waiting in the Common Room for the others to return was painful as James paced up and down, up and down, pouring over every idea in the book. There was torture, and death by execution, and also a very disgusting disfiguration potion Slughorn had mentioned in passing last week. That also sounded very appropriate to perform on Jaime Wylls. The scumbag.

It had been a relief when the rest of the Marauders finally wandered in, looking very full and relaxed. Sirius had barely been able to ask how the talk with Lily had gone before James had cut him off, rapidly retelling the run-in with Jaime and the treacherous plan that would occur tomorrow night if they didn't take action.

"We have to do something!" James exclaimed for about the fifth time. "We cant let her go with him."

"No, we cant," Remus shook his head worriedly. "But Lily wont listen to you. You've already tried talking to her."

"We could kill Jaime," Sirius suggested threateningly, standing and pulling out his wand. "I figure we'd be doing the world a favor."

Peter began to nod eagerly but quickly stopped when Remus fixed him with a glare. "There has to be something we can do," the werewolf said calmly. "Maybe I could try talking to Lily? Or maybe Marlene or Alice?"

"She'll just think I'm trying to annoy her," James sighed, frustrated. "Why does she have to be such a stubborn pain in the ass?"

A couple Second Years looked over curiously from the table nearest to the window.

"What are you looking at?" Sirius asked them gruffly. They quickly turned back to their friends, red in the face.

"Its not safe to talk in here," Peter observed. "Anybody could be listening."

"Let them hear," James grumbled.

Remus sighed. "Lets just get some fresh air. Clear our heads, you know? Maybe we can stop by the library for ideas."

"My, my, Moony, I'm surprised you haven't nominated telling a professor yet," Sirius said impressed as the group of friends made their way out of their chairs and towards the portrait hole. "This has to be some sort of record."

"It wouldn't do any good," Lupin said with a glare at Sirius. "Nothing's happened _yet_ which means Jaime would be impossible to convict."

"I'll give them a reason," James growled as they crawled through the portrait hole.

Lupin had been right. The fresh air in the corridors was calming and soothed James's hatred for Jaime down to a boiling fury. It was at this time of night that the Marauders thrived. Long after other students had gone to bed, they were roaming the corridors, searching for hidden passageways and sneaking food from the kitchens. At first it had been a way to break some rules and enjoy an adrenaline rush but after awhile, it had become almost habitual to spent the nighttime beyond their dormitory walls. It was as if they couldn't think straight unless they were out for a night stroll in the breezy corridors of the school they called home.

As they made their way through the castle tonight, they took turns throwing out suggestions for how to make Jaime Wylls's life a living hell. Peter suggested poisoning his food, Sirius begged for a more physical approach, and Remus offered to hex him in the busy corridors the next morning but James just stayed silent. Every plan had a hitch. They weren't Ravenclaws. They weren't Sixth Years. And more than anything, they weren't apart of Jaime's constant adoring posse that surrounded him. There was no way they could even sneak something in his drink without being seen.

But then, just as they were about to admit defeat and James was going to punch another door, it was if fate intervened. For out of all the people in Hogwarts who could've turned the corner, out of all the people that could've hailed them down, out of all the Prefects patrolling tonight, it just _happened _to be the one they were looking for.

"Speak of the devil," Remus murmured, astonished.

It was Jaime Wylls.

"You four!" he called, waving his arm in the air. "Stop where you are."

"Has curfew already happened?" Lupin muttered, looking at his watch. "We still should have five minutes."

They slowed to a halt as Jaime sauntered their way, looking smugger than usual in James's opinion. He scowled, earning a nudge from Remus.

"Can we help you?" Lupin asked politely. "We're not breaking curfew yet."

Jaime waved it aside. "Even if you were, I wouldn't care," he told them. "I usually leave that sort of thing to Emma." Emma Dorin was the other Prefect for Ravenclaw.

"So why are you stopping us?" Peter asked, eyebrows drawn together.

Jaime's face broadened and he clapped his hands together. "Well actually, I have a bit of business proposition for you guys. A profitable one at that."

The four friends all looked at each other uncomfortably.

"Well…?" Jaime asked.

"What kind of proposition are we talking?" Sirius finally asked.

Jaime smiled again, sending shivers up James's spine. If only he realized what James knew. He bet the Ravenclaw wouldn't be so smug then.

"Rumor has it you're the guys to turn to if we want food from the kitchens," Jaime muttered confidentially. "I'd be willing to offer a fair chunk of money for a basket of deserts by tomorrow at lunch."

"What makes you think we'd work for you?" James sneered. Sirius stepped on his foot.

"How much money are we talking?"

"Lets say a galleon each," Jaime propositioned.

Remus stared open-mouthed at the amount for simply stealing food.

"Two," Sirius demanded.

"Sirius," James whispered disgruntled, tugging on his robes. "Don't."

"Two, then," Jaime said, looking concerned at James's reluctance. "Especially for your silence."

"Our silence?" Remus couldn't help but ask.

Jaime looked uncomfortable. "Well, I have a…special request of sorts."

The four boys were silent, waiting for the Prefect to continue.

Obligingly, Jaime withdrew a lavender vial with the sleeping draught out of his robes. "I ask you to add this to the food," Jaime handed it to Sirius. "And make it subtle. If all goes well and you can guarantee this er… business meeting…isnt mentioned to anyone, I will double the original payment."

"So you'll give us one for the initial deal and then pay us a second galleon later if we don't ruin your reputation?" Sirius asked slowly.

Jaime grimaced at Sirius's word choice but managed a nod. "Correct."

"We'll do it, then" Sirius declared, ignoring James's grunt of protest from behind him. "Meet us at noon tomorrow outside the Great Hall. Your food will be there."

Jaime allowed a brief smile. "It's a deal," he said, shaking hands with Sirius. "Tomorrow, then."

"We'll be there," Sirius said firmly. With a final curt nod, Jaime straightened up and breezed past them, acting as if he'd never stopped them at all. The minute he turned the corner, the disgusted looks they had been trying to hold off finally appeared.

"I really do hate him," Remus remarked mildly.

James punched Sirius in the arm.

"Ow," the handsome Beater exclaimed. "What the hell did you do that for?"

"For supplying him with the food he's using to drug Lily," James exclaimed. He punched him again.

"Calm down, smartass," Sirius raised his hands defensively. "I had that all figured out."

James paused, his fist raised for another strike.

"What do you mean, Sirius?" Peter's look of confusion was mirrored on the faces of the other two Marauders.

"Well, if James would stop attacking me, maybe I could tell you," Sirius glared

James lowered his fist but didn't remove the distrusting scowl from his face.

"Thanks," Sirius huffed sarcastically. "While you idiots were too busy paying attention to how much you hated Jaime Wylls, _I _was thinking about how we could use this to our advantage."

James and Peter exchanged curious glances

"How so?" Remus hesitantly asked.

"The food," Sirius said simply. "We've been complaining how we can't get close enough to Jaime to touch him. But here, the idiot walked right up and handed it to us on a silver platter."

"You mean do something to the food?" James asked cautiously.

"Exactly," Sirius said. "We can just throw out the sleeping draught and poison it instead."

"Poison?" Peter looked apprehensive. "But what if Lily eats the poisoned food before Jaime does?"

"Oh, I didn't think about that…" Sirius muttered, tapping his foot.

"Okay, okay, so not poison," Remus said quickly. "What if we just make it another prank? Something that angers Lily so much she wont be able to finish her date?"

"Like what?" Peter asked doubtfully.

"I've got just the thing," James grinned.

* * *

><p>"We're going to be up all night, aren't we?" Peter grumbled.<p>

"Oh, shut up," Sirius told him, turning back to the bubbling cauldron at the foot of his bed. "It's almost done."

"Just please try and keep quiet," Remus reminded the two friends as he gestured towards a slumbering Frank. "We don't need anyone to tip Lily off before this happens."

"Sorry," Sirius whispered. The cauldron began to glow an electric blue.

It was nights like these that James was sure Frank Longbottom hated them all. Every Christmas they bought him earmuffs, sleeping potions, and an array of chocolates to make up for the times they spent running in and out at all hours of the night and causing general ruckus while he tried to sleep. When they'd exploded a chicken all over his favorite school robes a month ago, James had actually bought him a life-supply of butterbeer from the Three Broomsticks to make up for it.

"And...done!" Sirius whispered triumphantly.

James grinned. "This is _perfect_."

"I have to say, I'm enjoying pranking someone for their own good," Peter said. "It's a nice change."

"James do you have the cloak?" Remus asked.

"Got it," the Chaser said. "Sirius, scoop it into the vial and lets go."

With a look of extreme concentration, Sirius dipped a small glass vial into the glowing potion and capped it with a cork. "It's a beauty," he sighed.

"Then, out we go," James beckoned. And opening the door, he slipped into the darkness of the stairwell.

Sneaking out of their dorm was second nature to Hogwarts's mischievous Marauders. Sweeping down the stairs and through the Fat Lady was like an elegant dance, in which they glided and twirled, merely skimming the stone's surface as they pranced silently about the school. The four boys knew each other so well that they moved as one, each swaying in time to the night music. Cursing Filch, dodging Peeves, and darting down secret passages, the Marauders moved about the castle in a way no one else ever would.

It was true that, as they'd gotten bigger, fitting under James's invisibility cloak had become more and more difficult with every outing. But they didn't mind. There were never four friends at Hogwarts that more enjoyed the adrenaline rush of almost being caught.

"Now, let me do the talking," James warned as they neared the portrait that would lead them to the kitchens.

"You always get to do the talking," Peter whined.

"Walk faster," Sirius urged as he accidentally stepped on James's foot. "Oops, sorry about that, Prongs. I just can't stand one more minute under this thing."

"Its my prank, so I get to talk," James said bossily.

"But its _always _your prank," Peter jostled behind James.

"Can someone just please tickle the pear so we can get out of this cloak?" Lupin whispered testily.

Shooting a glare behind him, James whipped the cloak off the four boys and stepped up to the portrait.

"We are getting too old for that thing," Sirius muttered as the pear became a handle and James pulled it open.

The kitchens were probably their most frequented after hour destination. Being teenagers, there never seemed to be enough food in their stomachs and they gladly welcomed the meals the house elves urged upon them. First year alone, James and Sirius had to have made a trip at least once every two weeks. So it was with the deepest pleasure that the four made their way into the warmth of the kitchens, welcoming the aroma of baking bread and sizzling bacon. Breakfast was already beginning its preparation.

"Good evening, everyone," Sirius grinned as he entered. "Whose up for some baking?"

Twenty pairs of eager eyes turned to look at him. The house elves knew the Marauders well by this time and though they always seemed eager to help, James couldn't help but wonder if they ever got sick of funneling half the food they made into four student's stomachs.

"What can we do to help tonight?" an old, wrinkly house elf stepped stoutly to the front of the group. "Perhaps some fresh bread or smoked ham?"

James shook his head as Sirius nodded eagerly.

"We actually have a special mission for you," James said, slightly nervous.

"Anything, anything," they chorused.

James stretched out his hand and let Sirius place the electric blue vial in it. "This," he said, holding it up and showing them. "Is for a friend of ours."

"May I ask what it is?" one house elf inquired.

James suddenly felt nervous. He never considered that the house elves might not agree to add a foreign substance into their food. At least this one had a good intention, unlike Jaime's vial, which had been quickly tossed in the trash. The Marauders were many things, but they weren't criminals. And even if they hadn't known Jaime's intentions, they never would've agreed to something that sounded so glaringly egregious.

"Well, er—," James looked at the vial and tried to think fast. "Its, er—."

"It's a special type of sleeping draught," Peter said quickly. "For a friend of ours whose struggling to sleep at night."

The house elves all nodded, satisfied, and James wiped his brow, shooting a thankful look at Peter.

"What dish would you have us prepare?" they asked.

"Well, just three or four desserts," James told them as one of the house elves took the vial from his hands. "Its up to you which four you want them to be. I have only one request."

"Anything," the older house elf bowed his head.

"Treacle tart," James said. "There needs to be a treacle tart and the blue potion needs to go into it."

"Treacle tart?" Remus whispered. "Why treacle tart?"

"Its Lily's favorite," James whispered back.

"So will you do it?" Sirius asked eagerly.

"Of course, of course, anything for you," the house elf squeaked as the kitchen suddenly burst into life. "We will make it as quick as we can."

"Oh, and add these," Lupin suddenly stepped forward with two more vials. "Any of the other dishes can contain them."

"What are those?" Sirius asked as a house elf removed a green and a gray vial from the werewolf's palms.

"You'll see," Remus smiled. "They're some old potions I had stored up. I figured this was probably the best chance to use them."

"You sly dog," Sirius grinned, putting a reluctant Remus in a headlock and rubbing his head affectionately. "This prank is the best idea we've had in years. Fighting crime while pissing off Evans. What could be greater?"

"Not much," Peter laughed.

"We'll be here in the morning to pick it up," James told the house-elves. They'd already scattered amongst the stoves, a rhythm of clanking pots and pans filling the air.

"Tomorrow then," squeaked the old house elf with a smile.

James nodded with gratitude and suddenly feeling unwanted, made his way from the kitchens, the Marauders behind him.

"Well…" Peter said as the portrait of fruit closed behind them. "I guess that's that."

James nodded, his stomach still feeling queasy as he drew out the cloak. What if it didn't work? What if Lily decided to stick out the date even after eating the treacle tart? Or worse, what if she didn't eat it at all?

"I guess all we can do now is wait," Remus said as looked at each other and sighed.

James nodded. "We wait."

* * *

><p>"Move over," Peter whispered.<p>

"No, you move over," James whispered back.

"Be quiet, she'll hear you," Remus retorted as the three boys crammed around a small crevice in one of the library's bookshelves. On the other side of the books sat Lily Evans and her deceivingly charming date, Jaime Wylls. Through the crack in the shelf, they could see the two close together and smiling as they discussed the potential usage of heat to vanquish hinkeypunks. It was taking all of James's restraint not to march over on the other side of the bookshelf and wipe the charming smile off the Ravenclaw's face with his fist.

"They haven't touched the food yet," Remus muttered. It was hard to see through the small hole but it was all they had. They all knew if they widened it even a bit further, Madam Pince would have them out of Hogwarts before they could demand Dumbledore. Currently, it was Sirius's turn to distract the nosy librarian so that the others could watch Lily without interruption but nothing, not even Sirius, could catch her attention for that long.

"Fourth Year Potions isn't too difficult," James could hear Jaime bragging. "But I'm sure you already know that. You're a genius according to Slughorn."

"Is she blushing?" Peter asked disgusted.

"Eww she is," James wrinkled his nose.

"I'm not that good," Lily responded. James could hear the smile in her voice.

"Don't be so modest," Jaime grinned. "Its not everyday you meet a girl who is beautiful as she is intelligent." Lily's face turned as red as her hair.

Its not everyday you meet a girl who is beautiful as she is intelligent," James mocked in a high voice. "He makes me want to punch a wall."

"Be quiet," Remus hushed. "Or he'll hear you."

James rolled his eyes but knew the werewolf had a point.

"So Jaime, I hear you're the Ravenclaw Keeper," Lily said. "Are you ready for the Quidditch season to start?"

"Oh yeah," Jaime said, leaning confidently back in his chair. "We're beyond ready. Ravenclaw might really have a chance at the Cup this year."

"It would be nice to see someone else win for a change," Lily agreed.

James snorted.

Jaime laughed. "You're not happy your own House is on a winning streak?"

"I am," Lily sighed. "It'd just be nice to see some competition for a change."

"Competition for a change?" Jaime put a hand over his heart. "You really hurt me there, Lily."

"Well lets just say the Gryffindor team could serve to lose some ego," Lily laughed. "I think a Ravenclaw victory this year could do just that. It certainly would help to make the team stop acting like gods among men."

"Ah, you're referring to James Potter, I'm guessing?" Jaime grinned. James ignored the glances of Peter and Remus as he pressed his ear against the crevice. "I've heard he's as cocky off the field as he is on it."

"You have no idea," Lily sighed. "He's nearly impossible to deal with."

"I guess he could serve to take some lessons in modesty from you," Jaime said. "You're the one that should have an ego."

"I guess so." Lily smiled warmly. He smiled back. It all made James sick.

"Are you getting hungry?" Jaime suddenly asked.

"This is it," Peter said excitedly, nudging James several times in the arm, but James barely felt it. The conversation about him had turned his innards cold. So Lily really wasn't playing a game. She really did think he was only an arrogant boy who valued reputation more than her. If only she knew what he had done for her.

"I brought some desert from the kitchens." Jaime brought the basket of deserts that had made the Marauders all a galleon richer to the library table. "Sweet, just like you."

Remus made a noise of disgust. "I hope Lily doesn't actually think that line is cute."

"Girls," James sighed, watching with anticipation as Lily opened the basket.

"Treacle tart?" she exclaimed. "How'd you know? Its my favorite."

"I do my research," Jaime grinned, though James knew full well he hadn't.

"If she only knew," James grumbled.

"Well," Jaime lifted a chocolate bonbon, "Cheers to a wonderful date and a wonderful girl."

"Cheers," Lily agreed as she helped herself to the treacle tart.

"It shouldn't take too long," Remus muttered as the Marauders began to hold their breath in anticipation. Lily grinned satisfactorily as she spooned the tart into her mouth and Jaime chuckled as a few crumbles escaped down her chin. She blushed.

"Hey, have they eaten it yet?" Sirius slid in beside them.

"First bites," Peter said.

"I thought you were supposed to be distracting Madam Pince," James chanced a look away from the redhead to glare at his friend.

"I didn't want to miss the fun," Sirius grinned. "Plus, there wasn't much more I could do. She was ready to give me detention."

"She's always ready to give you detention," Remus pointed out exasperatedly.

"I know," Sirius chuckled.

"Lily, is there something wrong with your hair?"

Jaime's simple question jumped the boys back to reality.

"What do you mean?" James saw Lily ask nervously, a hand going to her head.

"Excellent," Sirius grinned. "It's working."

They all squeezed to peer through the crack in the shelf.

"Well, its er—," Jaime looked awkward. "Its, er—well, its not red anymore."

"Its not WHAT?" Lily exclaimed. Suddenly, she gasped. "Jaime, your nose!"

The Ravenclaw's hands went to his face. "What's wrong with my nose?" he asked frantically. "What's happening to us?"

"Its covered in warts," Lily said horrified, dropping the treacle tart. "And they're…spreading!"

"Make them stop!" he bellowed, the look of alarm growing on his face as Peter stifled giggles.

Lily backed against the bookshelf, plunging the Marauder's visibility into darkness. But it didn't matter that they couldn't see through to the other side anymore, as Lily Evans's scream provided everything they needed to know.

"MY HAIR'S BLUE!"

The Marauders burst out into laughter as the whole library looked up with interest.

"Silence!" Madam Pince screeched as she swooped past them. "Silence in the library!"

"My hair's blue!" Lily continued to yell. "Its blue!"

"My face," Jaime wailed.

The four friends ducked from their hiding place to join the throngs that were appearing around the former redhead and her date.

"No food in the library!" Madam Pince continued to squawk as Lily pawed at her hair. "Get out! Detention, both of you!"

Jaime's once handsome face was covered in large warts as students began to point and laugh.

"Move away. Out! OUT!" Madam Pince waved at them all, but the group was growing bigger by the second.

"Nice job with the warts," Sirius whispered to Remus, impressed.

Remus looked smug. "I know."

"Where did you get this food?" Their attention was brought back by Lily's yell. She was towering over a cowering Jaime who was trying his best to cover his face from the gigging onlookers. "Where did you get it!"

"Sirius Black," he spluttered. "And his friends."

"POTTER!"

The roar nearly shook the library.

"Time to go," James whispered. And the four backed swiftly out of the crowd as students began to stare at them.

"POTTER, COME BACK HERE THIS INSTANT!"

"Run!" James shouted.

The four broke into a lopsided jog, swerving around bookshelves and confused students.

"Detention, everyone!" Madam Pince could still be heard as they raced out of the library and into the corridors. Outside, a group of students had gathered, staring with confusion at the usually quiet library. Their astonishment only grew as the Marauders raced through the doors, an enraged Lily Evans behind them.

"How dare you!" she screeched as the boy collapsed into peals of laughter. "How dare you think that's funny!"

"Oh Flower," Sirius could barely breathe. "You should look in a mirror! Its hilarious!"

Lily's hair was an electric blue and some of the potion had even reached the edges of her face and fingers, giving her the appearance of a Cornish Pixie Human hybrid. The students in the corridor began to chuckle as she marched to where the Marauders sat howling with laughter.

"You put this right!" she demanded. "You fix my hair and Jaime's face. You fix them now!"

"We're not fixing anything on Jaime," James grinned. "I rather like him this way."

Lily's eyes narrowed as she saw who spoke. "Potter," she hissed. "Is that what this is about? Jaime Wylls?"

James barely had a chance to get a word in before her wand was out.

"Melongia!" she screamed, nearly throwing James backwards with the force of the spell. The corridor broke out into chatter and more laughter as James felt a sudden dizziness overtake him.

"There!" she said tearfully and James noticed with some regret that she was crying. "Now your head can match your ego!"

The students in the hall laughed as she stomped away, and continued to after she'd gone. The subject of their attention went quickly from the girl with the blue hair to the boy with the— James touched his face. What had she done to him?

"Oh, Prongs," Remus howled with laughter as Peter slapped the floor in amusement. "You should see yourself. She's a genius."

"What is it?" James asked, trying to look at his friends but finding his head was suddenly a lot heavier than it had been. "What did she do?"

"My friend," Sirius clapped a hand on James's shoulder. "Your lover really outdid herself this time. Lets get you to the nurse."

"What is it?" James insisted.

"Your head…is about ten…ten times the normal size," Peter managed to say through gulps of laughter. "You look hilarious!"

James hands went to his head and found he couldn't even reach his ears. He cursed, causing only more laughter as the throng of students grew.

"What happened to his head?"

"Why is the library closing?"

"Did you see Jaime Wylls? His face was _covered_ in warts."

The whole hall was chattering as a ring formed about the Marauders.

"Well, well, I have to say this was one of our more successful pranks," Sirius grinned as he appeared in James's sightline. "Only one man down."

James attempted a glare, which must've looked ridiculous for it only sent Sirius into more howls of laughter.

"Let's get you to the nurse," Remus said, still chuckling as he hoisted James to the feet. "I can't imagine having a head that big is good for you."

James staggered under its weight to the amusement of the onlookers.

"You cant deny that Lily Evans can take care of herself," Peter grinned as he helped Remus support James. "That girl has spirit."

"She has a mind of her own," Remus agreed as the crowd began to slowly clear a path for the awkward group. "But that's why I like her."

"I think she's great," Sirius chimed in.

"I'm so glad we met her," Peter smiled.

James could only scowl. "I hate Lily Evans."

Lily Evans never did find out that James had protected her from the horrors of Jaime Wylls. For by the time they had grown close enough to laugh over their old rivalry, Jaime had long been forgotten and the prank in the library was merely put off onto a long list of James's buried offenses. But James had learned something important about himself on that scarce remembered day. Something that at the time seemed absolutely insignificant but would later change the course of history. For on that day, James found out that he would do anything, and he meant anything, to protect the life of Lily Evans. Even die for her. And in less than ten years time, he would fulfill that promise.

**WHAT DID YOU THINK? LET ME KNOW WHAT WORKED AND WHAT DIDN'T AS I'M CONSIDERING A REWRITE ON IT.**

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**STORY NOT COMPLETE. **


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